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f LIBRARY OF COXGRESS. * 



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Vo.A.'ti^it^nAt^ .=^/Va. 



|I]NITED STATES OF AMEKICA.^j 



,ui NOAH, 



Otsciei^ IPoiKinvcs 



By C. T. BATEMAN. 



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<L CINCINNATI: 

MOORE, WILSTACH & BALDWIN, Printers, 

25 West Fourth Street. 
1 80 5.- 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by 

C. T. B ATEM AN, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for 
the Eastern District of Michigan. 



COZSTTEH^TS 



PAGE. 

Noah, ------_5 

Pocohontas, - - - - - - 54 

Death, ---____ i09 

The Miller's Grave, - - - _ _ 120 

The Atlantic Telegraph, Etc., - - - - 122 

My Birth-day, - - - - - 135 

Destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem, - - - 136 

What I Love, ----__ 140 

Death of DeKalb, - - - - - - 141 

Ode to Freedom, _____ 144 

Our Country's Flag, - - - _ - 146 

Seigel, _---___ 148 

The Soldier's Last Dream, _____ 150 

IHope We'll Win, ----- 152 

Valhalla, - - - - - - - 154 

Evening, ______ 1,57 

Circles, - _ _ _ - _ - _ 158 

Cavern by the Sea, - - - - - 162 

Grieving Hesperus, - - - - - -164 



NOAH AND HIS AGE 



PART I. 

The Creation — Garden of Paradise— Expulsion of Adam and 
Eve from Paradise — Their New Home— The state of the 
Earth— The Giant Chiefs— The Captivity of Noah and Hunatha . 

In those immense and boundless fields of space, 

Where God delights to hang the stars of heaven, 

And guide the comet's sparkling train of light, 

And fix the planet's orb, the earth, by power 

Divine, was made and placed. There long it rolled 

Its circling course among the heavenly hosts, 

Before man ever saw the golden light 

Or breathed fresh and balmy airs of spring, 

Sighing 'mid fragrant groves and sounding streams. 

The earth, by God's all-powerful hand, had seen 

Successive changes wrought, that slow, though sure, 

Had brought her yet more near perfection's hight. 

From fiery chaos wild, far back unknown, 

Unmeasured ages past, its chosen form 

It took — a spheric globe — revolving round 

The ^un's vast disk, that sheds his sparkling beams 

Of- day, to mingle in eternal blaze, 

With silv'ry stars, that deck the azure vault 

Beyond where Neptune wheels his rolling car. 

The liquid globe, a molten sea of fire, 

By slow refrigeration, formed a crust 



6 



That floated on the red and angry surge. 
Though oft the rocky bonds were fragments rent 
By deep convulsions, heaving throes, as when, 
By northern bhists, the broken wall of ice. 
With wild commotion's fury, grind and grate 
In horrid ruin. Condensing vapors, seas 
And boiling oceans made, upon the hot 
And stony plains. Dark, stormy clouds their pall 
Of wat'ry vapors hung around, raid earth's 
Wide face no light beheld, save lurid flames 
That through the dark and murky air burst forth, 
Disclosing rents and chasms broad and deep, 
By earthquake's power torn, the outward vents 
Of inward fire ; still onward passed the course 
Of time. The heat more mild became, more bright 
The sky, more cool the sea. Again God's hand 
Upon the earth was laid — the land, the sea, 
The sky, with joyous life, was full. The ferns, 
Fucoids and sea-weeds grew. The types of life, 
Though low, were fitted well for their abode. 
But as unheeded time rolled onward, change 
Succeeded change ; the oceans changed their beds, 
The mighty forests, overwhelmed beneath, 
Were buried deep, while others grew as great. 
And living beings, too, of many forms. 
Of monstrous size, played in the ocean wave. 
Or roamed through forest's shade, or idly lounged 
In marsh and fen, while some on airy flight 
Their prey pursued, or thronged the secret cave, 
Yet still they felt the changing hand of time. 
Th'^y passed away, and naught but bones or prints 
On solid rock, the tale can tell, that once 



Such beings lived and swarmed the ancient world. 

Another change now came, more great and vast 

Than all the revolutions which e'er swept 

O'er earth. Cold winds and howling tempests roared 

O'er bleak and dreary plains, with fury wild, 

While icy showers filled the chilling air. ♦ 

With inward throes and awful pangs earth shook ; 

Far groaned the deep-toned thunder's voice ; far flashed 

The vivid lightning's glare, or pierced the black 

And dismal sky, with fi'ry darts ; stars shot 

Adown the heaven's vault. The ocean's bed 

Was changed; huge waves their billows rolled on high. 

In full commotion icebergs drifted down 

From polar seas, torn loose by heaving storms. 

Granitic hills and rock-ribbed mountains bowed 

Beneath the thundering deluge. Pond'rous rocks 

That from creation's morn, unchanged and firm 

Had stood, were driven far from primal beds, 

And found a wand'rer's home in southern climes. 

All life, that busy thronged the convex globe, 

Now ceased. No wood or cave too far retired, 

No sea too deep, to 'scape the raging war 

Of winds and waters, heat and cold. The waves 

Muttered the low and solemn dirge, the wind 

In howling tempests rang the knell of death 

Through all the dreary shores of once fair earth. 

Old Chaos now stretched forth his potent rod 

Over a ruined world, and sea and land, 

With fire and air, to his dominion yield. 

Dreary and dark, the earth still held its course 

The shining orbs among. No beam of light 

Could pierce the thick'ning gloom ; no heat withstood 



8 



The icy mountains that, from polar seas, 

A mighty host, came rushing down, as when 

Ten thousand mammoths, stung by northern blasts, 

With dreadful groans and high uplifted heads. 

To seek, far south, more genial climes, burst forth 

In rapid flight; earth trembles 'neath the tread 

Of pond'rous feet, swift tearing o'er the plain, 

Or thundering through the vale. But earth was soon 

To see a brighter day, for God stretched forth 

His hand omnipotent, and said in tones 

That rang through all the realms of Chaos old : 

" Let there be light," and light there was. The pall 

That long had shrouded earth, now lifted high 

Its huge black folds, and rolled away ; and from 

His tottering throne Old Chaos fled, to seek 

In boundless fields of unexplored night. 

New worlds, revolving in the outmost zone 

That girds creation's vast immensity. 

The light, God called the day, and darkness night. 

Still day by day creation's work progressed. 

He sundered wide, from ocean's storm-rock deep, 

The wat'ry belts that span the azure dome ; 

He fixed the bounds that curb the restless wave, 

And lifted up the land, and piled on high 

The tow'ring cliff's that bathe their hoary heads 

Amid the gathering mists that cloud the sky. 

The curtains dark of heaven aside were drawn, 

And sun and moon and stars once more beheld 

The earth, and glowing with morning light; 

The earth decked fair with verdant groves and fields. 

With gleaming lakes and purling streams, looked up 

And smiled. Fish sported in the seas ; high sailed 



9 

The birds in air, while in the rustling breeze 
The insects gaily danced. Beasts roamed o'er plains 
Or wandered through the forest glade, and next 
And last, the b<3st of all created work, 
Bearing a look divine, was man — upright 
And tall — made in the likeness of his God, 
With glory crowned, and clothed with purity. 
'Twas done ; th' Almighty praised the noble work. 
The stars, bright twinkling from their silver thrones, 
Beheld, in sunlight clad, the glorious orb, 
And joyful burst in sweet, harmonious song. 
Responsive to the rolling spheres. Man's home 
Was Eden's paradise — the loveliest spot 
That earth e'er knew. In living green the trees 
Their blooming verdure spread abroad, while fruits 
Of varied growth and hue, and sweetest taste, 
Amid the branches hung, while here the vine 
With clustered richness twined, its tendrils thick 
Around their rugged trunk and leafy boughs; 
And there with balmy breath, and incense sweet, 
The tinted flowers grew. In melting tones 
Sweet murmured by, the gliding rill, or dashed 
Its silver foam amid the moss-grown rocks. 
Or leaped the bounding cataract ; birds sang 
Among the leaves ; the squirrel sprang from branch 
To branch ; while 'mid the varying scenes of hill 
And dale and sloping lawn, the lamb and kid 
In safety skipped and gamboled with the wolf ; 
The roe and lion drank the liquid draught 
From the same fount. Then good and fair was earth, 
And peace and joy triumphant reigned through all 
Her shores. The with'ring blight of sin was not. 
2 



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The eartli, untilled, brouglit forth her fruits, and death 

Eternal was not feared, for man was pure. 

No conqueror's path betrayed the bloody field 

Of death, where thousands writhed in pain, and filled 

The air with sad and unavailing cries ; 

The raven stooping o'er the mangled dead. 

The foul hyena gorged on human flesh, 

Nor made the midnio;ht red with crackling flames, 

Where burning cities perished in a night ; 

Nor spread abroad the blighting plague, and made 

A famished desert where the fertile fields 

Once waved in golden grain, and echoed back 

The peasant's song. No cruel pirate bark 

Then flung aloft his death-flag on the breeze, 

And swept the boisterous main, and dyed the wave 

With crimson flood. No trembling slave then pressed 

The auction block, or gave his toiling life 

To heap tip wealth, to gratify the lust, 

Ambition, pride, or envy of his lord. 

No rich or noble, called the great of earth. 

In gorgeous mansion, bright with glit'ring gold, 

Regarding not the cries, the groans, the tears 

Of those oppressed beneath their heavy yoke, 

In nightly revels spent, then heaped up wealth. 

In Eden lived, with peace and purest joy, 

Adam and Eve, the first of human race, 

Until beguiled by serpent vile, they sinned 

Against their God. But now sad changes came ; 

For, having broken God's command, they lost 

All right to Paradise, with all its joys. 

Forced to depart, with slow and mournful tread. 

And downcast eye, their course far o'er the vale 



11 

They took, till climbing high a rocky steep, 

Wearied and sad, upon a clifif they sat, 

And took the farewell gaze on those bright scenes 

Of Eden's happy Paradise, their home, 

Now lost, forever lost. The flaming sword 

That hung o'er Eden's tree of life and death, 

Forbidding all return, before their eyes 

Flashed bright ; in view there lay in lovely green, 

The undulating vale with happy flocks 

And herds ; there shone in liquid light the rill. 

The fount ; the fall, with all their fruitful groves 

And sylvan aisles, fit home for gods. Once more 

A lingering look they take, and with a sigh 

In the sad heart, on toward the sinking sun 

They pressed their course. That night they laid them 

down 
To sleep beneath the laurel branch that grew 
In Chaldea's clime, fit emblem of the strife 
That soon should rend, in wild destructive wrath, 
The earth. In slumbers deep, the wearied limbs 
Reposed ; the anxious mind forgot its woes. 
A vision sweet illumined bright the soul, 
So dark with boding fears of future ill ; 
The threat'ning clouds put on a brighter tinge ; 
The sky in gorgeous vesture draped, surpassed 
The golden gates, and purple banners hung 
Around the setting sun, Hesperian couch. 
From heaven high, resplendent glory beamed, 
And from celestial realms of ether bright, 
A glorious form of fair, angelic mold. 
His snowy wings spread wide, and earthward came, 
And bending o'er the sleepers, softly breathed — 



12 

" Let pining sorrows cease their wasting work ; 

Let hope anew restore the blessings lost ; 

Still trust in God, in mercies ever rich. 

A happier day will dawn ; with strength increased, 

Renew thy course, nor cease or turn aside. 

Until thou seest a meteor flashine: red 

o 

Along the sky, and glancing o'er the stream ; 

Then mark it well, where'r it smites the earth, 

And let that place become thy future home." 

The vision fled before the morning light. 

Then Adam roused from rest the slumbering Eve, 

And onward pressed his way, until he saw 

Where burst the glowing meteor 'long the sky, / 

And hurled its blazing fragments down to earth. 

He joyful hailed the heavenly omen sent 

To guide his wandering feet and fix his home. 

Green crested hills, and valleys wide, now lay 

Between their present home and Paradise, 

Which they again should never visit, save 

In wandering dreams, when Luna's torch is bright. 

And sleep with downy pinion flies. Their home, 

Though new, was good and fair. A fertile plain 

In front extended far, with fruitful groves 

Of luscious sweets ; with meadows green ; with streams 

And lakes, upon whose banks the willow bush 

And fir tree grew, and flowers lifted up 

Their tinted petals to the morning sun, 

Glit'ring with evening dew; while back there stood 

The hill with living verdure crowned. The pine 

Crested the lofty peak ; the cedar robed 

Its side ; the oak and maple clothed its foot ; 

The clust'ring vine hung o'er the rocky cliff, 



13 



Or, half concealed, the gushing fount that roared 

Amid the mountain wilds, and secret caves, 

Or softly glides within its mossy bank 

Along the wooded dell. In this sweet home, 

Although less fair than Eden's Paradise, 

They lived. Here Adam tilled the fertile soil. 

And pruned the vine, and gathered autumn's fruit ; 

And here, among the valley's verdant slopes. 

He pastured flocks and herds, while fairest Eve, 

The loveliest of womankind, with smiles, 

And purest, deepest love, rejoiced his heart. 

They lived not lonely here, for God soon gave 

Them sons and daughters, who were long the joy 

And light of their parental home ; but Sin, 

Alas, had found a home on earth, where she 

With wanton hand, delights to mar and spoil 

The noblest work of God^with winged steps 

To ruin man by changing love to hate, 

She scatters far and wide the seeds of ill 

And death, which took deep ro^ot and grew apace 

With wond'rous strength. Then up rose Cain in wrath, 

And stained his sinful hand with Abel's blood. 

But vengeance fell on guilty Cain, and, doomed 

To banishment, far from his native land. 

He lived exiled. But sin ceased not with this. 

But as the tribes of man began o'er earth 

To spread, yet more did sin abound, and earth 

Was filled with fury, death, and wickedness. 

The piety of man was swallowed up 

Within the raging vortex of depraved 

Passion; as when the mountain lake, o'ercharged 

With melting snow and falling rain, bursts forth 



14 

From its unwilling shores, and hurls itself 

With crushing weight of mud, and rocks, and trees, 

In dreadful thunder, down upon the plain. 

And overwhelms the peaceful vale with quick 

And sudden ruin; so confusion, strife^ 

Deceit and war, o'erwhelmed, with ruin vast, 

The tribes of earth, while in those days of woe 

And death, when sin's dark pall enshrouded earth 

With night more dark and thick than Stygian shade, 

Grreat giants lived, renowned alike for strength 

And sin, whose shaggy locks, uplifted high. 

Appeared to brush the clouds away ; whose strength, 

So great they plucked the firm and gnarled oak 

To hurl against their foes. Then lived Canam, 

The mighty hero of the Southern tribes. 

With all his strong and warlike sons, whose home 

Was 'mong the rocky chains and lofty cliffs. 

Piled up and towering to the clouds that bound 

The Southern sky, and stretch afar beyond 

The plains of Paradise, and lave their feet 

In Ocean's briny surge. A robber band 

Of giants fierce, they lived and stored the spoil 

In wild, secluded grot, or cavern vast; 

And then, again, they issued forth to rend 

The prey from others bad as they, for all 

Were robbers, save a remnant of the sons 

Of Seth. Away, far north, amid the broad 

And fertile plains that skirt Euphrates' stream. 

Where the soft breezes blow, and spices sweet 

And flowers rare perfumed the zephyr's breath ; 

Land of the pomegranate and vine, and where 

The olive tree in fragrance blooms, old Goan, 



15 

A giant great and strong, of fearful might, 

The deathly foe of King Canam, there lived. 

With all their giant hosts, in bloody fray 

And cruel strife, these chieftans oft had met. 

And neither vantage gained. Now Sin, most vile, 

In Earth, with all her hideous forms, appeared. 

With brazen front, blaspheming God himself. 

Destroying man, and trampling 'neath her feet 

All law, both human and divine. She gave 

To man the liberty to wrong his friend, 

His foe; to give what he would not receive; 

To steal, to lie, to kill, enslave. The earth 

Was one vast field of fury, where the strong 

Strove for dominion, while the weak for life, 

Revenge or liberty, and he was best 

And honored most who soonest gained his end. 

Without regard of means. Men ceased to till 

The earth. They joined in bands and prowled abroad 

To take the spoil ; then fought among themselves 

O'er ill-gotten booty. They annulled 

All marriage ties, neglected children, mocked 

The poor, abused the sick. Although the waves 

Of sin dashed thick around, a remnant stood 

With bold and dauntless mein, and yielded not 

To Sin's delusive spell. The sons of Seth 

Were righteous still, and sought their brothers' good, 

And served the Lord of Lords. They lived in peace, 

They tilled the soil, and pastured flocks and herds, 

And gathered fruits; but soon, alas, Canam, 

With giant tread, came stalking o'er those plains, 

And found concealed within the peaceiiil vale 

Their rural home. In terror and dismay 



16 

They fled. The robbers, plundering all, returned 

Unto their mountain home, and with them took 

Two captive children, saved from death, to bear^ 

Among the mountain wilds of old Canam's 

Rude home, the heavy, galling yoke that dooms 

The slave to unrequited toil and shame. 

The captive children, Noah, Lammech's son. 

And Hanatha, the daughter of Achas, 

In slavery passed their youthful days. They still 

Remembered God, and oft, in concert sweet. 

Their voices raised in prayer for liberty. 

While true, undying love, their hearts in close 

Communion knit. Each was the other's joy 

And happiness. The light of love, and faith 

In God, in gloomy hours, cheered their hearts^ 

And bade them hope for bright and happy days, 

When, freed from slavery's harsh and galling chain, 

Again they'd breathe the air of liberty 

Within their native hills and vales, and roam 

Again amid the glens, and meads^ and lochs, 

Where they had spent the gay and happy hours 

Of childhood's merry morn, when, free from care, 

Among the babbling brooks and lakelets bright 

They fished or bathed in limpid waves, or chased, 

With eager haste, the brilliant butterfly 

That glided by, in golden hues, or where 

The rose, with incense sweet, perfumed the air. 

And lillies hung their blushing heads, they wove 

The flowery wreath to crown the shepherd swain 

That charmed their ears with sweet-toned harp, or plucked 

Delicious fruits that hung in clusters rich 

Among the verdant groves; but, most of all. 



17 

They hoped to see dear friends, who might have 'scaped 
The war's destructive wrath, and still remained 
Among their native hills and groves, to guard 
Th' ancestral tomh of dear and honored sires. 



PART II. 

Battle of the Giants — Death of Canam, and Rout of his Forces. 

'Twas morn. The sun had tipped with golden light 

The craggy peaks, and lighted up the groves 

Of cedar, and disclosed the winding aisles 

And zigzag paths that circle through the woods 

And rocks of King Canam 's secluded home. 

When, southward flying fast, with winged steps, 

And face that told of wondrous news, and facts 

Of moment great and vast, Lavan, Canara's 

Swift-footed messenger was seen, and soon 

With pealing blasts, he blew his trumpet horn, 

Which echoed through the caverns dark and deep. 

The giants heard the summons and obeyed. 

Then in the mountain amphitheater. 

In conclave vast, they met, while King Canam, 

Fierce, clad ifi garments wrought from mammoth skin. 

Beneath a towering cedar's branches, sat 

Upon a great and lofty marble throne. 

Brightly his brazen helmet gleamed aloft 

With glancing sunbeams, while his ample shield 

Seemed like the full-orbed moon that angrily 

And red shines through the ffatherins: mists of eve. 



18 



About their king tlie giants ftirthest stood, 
While common men their circle formed within. 
The messenger, Lavan, approaches now, 
And, bowing low, begins, 0! King most great! 
Whose fertile realm extends from sea to sea, 
And from these everlasting mountain crags 



To where Euphrates sweeps the boundless plain, 

Who reigns with wide, extended sway, supreme 

Over the nations. Who can brave thy might? 

Who dares transcend thy glory? None? Yes, Goan, 

With savage horde, has crossed the river's bound, 

And trespassed on thy land, and now he feasts 

His greedy soul upon our richest prey. 

O King, most great! now let thy vengeance, fierce 

And dreadful, quickly ftill with ruin vast 

On his presumptuous head, and ere yon sun 

Has swept two circles through the azure vault, 

Like raging tiger bursting from his toils, 

Or lion thursting blood, upon him iDounce, 

And drink his blood, and crush his guilty band, 

And wash them out in seas of human gore. 

He ceased, and King Canam arose. A frown 

Upon his brow ; with deepest ire shook 

His frame ; his fierce, dark eye horrific fire 

Shot forth. Appalled beneath his piercing gaze, 

The giants, trembling, breathless stood, to hear 

His awful threat. With high uplifted hand, 

He took the oath before the assembled hosts : 

" Cursed be this my hand, and doomed my head 

To bear eternal pains in hell, if I 

Make peace with Goan, till he or I, stretched forth 

Upon the plain, a brainless, headless trunk. 



19 



Shall lie the prey of birus and beasts," he said, 
And then with clenched hand he struck his shield 
Till round and round the answering rocks gave back, 
From every nook, the wild and fearful clang. 
The giant throng, their chieftain's fire now caught, 
And then with pealing shouts replied : " We go ! 
We go ! with thee to victory or death ! 
Our arms are strong, our hearts are one ; we'll make 
Them rue the day they roused our chieftain's wrath ! ' 
Descending from his lofty throne, Cauam 
Now marshaled soon his warlike hosts to seek 
Their robber foe. The giants snatched their arms 
And, clothed in panoply's refulgent garb. 
Breathlessly stood, to wait their chieftain's word. 
The marching signal sounded loud and soon ; 
Those warriors, stern and fierce, with winding way. 
Emerged beyond their rocky den, and gained 
The boundless plain that skirts the northern zone. 
With num'rous train of slaves they hasted on. 
Nor stopped, nor ate, until the setting sun 
Brought evening shades ; nor yet, but onward sped. 
The moon, with sad and melancholy gaze, 
Looked down upon th' embattled legions, bent 
Upon their murderous task, and muffled thick 
Her face with rolling clouds. The stars, too, wept 
O'er brother's bloody strife, with dew-drop tears ; 
Yet onward still they moved, till midnight brought 
Their steps to groves and brooks, profuse with fruits, 
Where ceased they from their toilsome march to rest, 
And gain new strength for morning's fearful fray. 
Aurora's gray had scarcely tipped the clouds 
That decked the eastern sky, when, shrill and loud, 



20 



The clarion blew, and roused the sleeping horde. 
As when witliin Brazilian climes a troop 
Of horses sudden spring upon their feet, 
Astonished at the vivid lightning's glare. 
And thunder's bursting crash, so sprang the host 
Up from their grassy couch, and eager grasped 
Their arms. Again, with loud resounding peals, 
The trumpet blew ; the banner swayed aloft, 
And on the dread embattled legion moved. 
Old Goan prepared, with equal strength, to meet 
The furious storm that now with portents dire 
Threatened destruction vast ; and ere Canam 
In sight appeared, his battle front had formed. 
And ready stood, the columns deep and firm 
And terrible to view, with burnished shields, 
And spears that seemed a naked forest, tipped 
With flashing §teel, while over all unrolled. 
Their dragon flag displayed its ample folds. 
The sun had now upreached the highest heaven, 
AVhen onward swift th' advancing legions swept, 
Adown a sloping lawn where bright two streams, 
In silver sheen, with shaded banks and meads 
Of woodlands sweetest growth and richest birth, 
In friendly union joined their shining waves. 
Here King Canam his squadron bade repose 
Till ranging scouts and light-armed pioneers 
Should mark the enemy's located camp. 
And bring him word if Goan in fear had fled, 
Or if in fierce array of hostile might 
He dares to face the battle's frightful mien. 
And meet grim death with his horrific train. 
Within those forest aisles and verdant walks, 



21 



Rich with the clustering sweets of ftiircst clime, 

They rested from their march and ate the fruits 

That tempting hung, and sipped the sparkling draught. 

Though sweet yet short their rest, for soon Lavan, 

With swift-winged feet, came bounding o'er the plain, 

And quickly passed the river's crystal tide, 

And bowing low before Canam, began, 

O, King Canam ! thou mighty one of earth, 

Onward now lead thy hosts omnipotent, 

For Goan, with ready-formed battalion comes 

With stern resolve to gain the victory 

Or die in such attempt. 'Tis fate that thrusts 

Him thus within thine power, to close the strife 

By one bold stroke, and save us from a war 

Of long perplexing sieges and pursuits. 

Upon yon plain he now deploys his firm 

And heavy-armed brigades. 0, King Canam! 

The glorious opportunity improve. 

Nor lose an hour of precious time, but quick 

As mountain flood pour swift destruction down 

Upon his fated brow. The king arose, 

Revenge most dire enstamped upon his brow. 

Aloft he held his gleaming blade, that flashed 

In midday light more terrible to view 

Than Gorgon's head, and cried with voice as loud 

As Etna's deep-toned thunders are : Arouse ! 

Ye warriors brave ! Chiefs, onward launch your hosts, 

The foe at hand, his charging squadrons near ! 

Then rang the trumpet's furious blast ; then loud 

The welkin echoed back the answering shout. 

Now onward, slow at first, with growing speed, 

The firm-paced columns moved in dread array, 



22 

As when upon the mountain craigs and peaks 

Of Alpine's snowy hight, the avalanche 

Slow from its glacial field, with swelling roar 

Gains strength at every bound, and thunders down 

Impetuous to the plain, and scatters far 

And wide its snowy debris o'er the vale 

With ruin immense, so onward swept amain 

The charging squadrons, but unshaken still. 

As ocean's rock-bound shore, when tempests dark 

Rage o'er the foaming sea, and furious roll 

The heaving surge against her granite cliffs, 

They stood and backward rudely hurled their foes ; 

But on again, with grim and stern resolve, 

And boundless rage, they rush ; then fiercer grew 

The wrathful fight, while yells, and shrieks, and groans, 

And clanging blows now rent the frightened air, 

And death ran riot o'er the crimson plain. 

Rejoiced to see, with bloody victims heaped, 

His altars full. Canam, with giant form 

And bloody blade, in horrid ruin swept 

The plain, and scattered right and left his foes. 

And found no equal, till he saw where Groan, 

With strength prodigious, heaped the corses piled 

Beneath his conquering arm. Inflamed with hate, 

Of deepest dye, they met. Their flashing blades 

In fiery circles gleamed above their high 

And lofty crests. With brazen shields opposed. 

They show'red their ringing blows, while far retired 

The throng surceased their warlike toil, to view 

The desp'rate fray, while crash on crash their blows 

Like lightning bursting from the thunder's home, 

Fell rattling on their burnished shields, till each 



23 

The other wounds; but with the gushing tide 

Of crimson hue, they rage and foam with ire 

Kedoubled, till Canam, with one huge blow 

Across Goan's orbed shield, his bloody blade 

Broke short, when Goan, th' advantage took, and down 

With headlong fury bore his helpless foe, 

And then aloft on sword-point he raised 

The severed, ghastly head, and waded through 

The warm and smoking stream of ebbing life, 

And shouted, "Onward charge, the battle's won;" 

But when they saw their chieftain fall, the sons 

Of Southern clime, with terror struck, now fled, 

While Goan, with all his murd'rous horde, pursued. 

Now fearful clamor rends the sky, and thick 

Around the bleeding victims lay. In vain 

A thousand helpless shrieks for mercy call. 

Still on amain, with ruinous assault. 

Rushed the pursuing and pursued. Earth shakes 

Beneath the hurried tread of flying feet. 

Then slow away, far o'er the dusty plain, 

The rolling thunder dies, as when far south, 

On undulating pampas green, aroused 

By earthquake shock, or roaring tempest deep, 

An awful moan ; ten thousand horses wild 

Burst into n^pid flight, and gallop swift 

Far o'er the plain. Canam's proud host, o'erwhelmed, 

Were scattered in the flight, nor safety found. 

Till night, with sable curtains, spread her pall 

Of darkness o'er the blood-stained field, and wrapped 

In Stygian gloom the living and the dead. 



24 



PART III. 

Escape of Noah and Hanatha — Their Secluded Home — Discov- 
ered by Friends, and taken to their Native Land — The 
Deluge Predicted — Building of the Ark — Goan attempts its 
Destruction. 

The moon was wading tlirougli tlie gloomy clouds 

That dark and dreadful hovered o'er the scene, 

While Noah led his Hanatha away 

To seek in rapid flight a safe retreat. 

With hurried steps they pass along. The air 

Is chill, the wind sweeps by in mournful gusts, 

And ever and anon the dying groan 

Or writhing shriek rings through the dreary night, 

And quivers on the howling blast. Still on 

They go, and oft their feet press on the cold 

And lifeless clods. ! how unlike the tall 

And noble forms, endowed with manly pride 

And living valor, which the morning sun 

Had seen so proudly charging on their foe. 

At length, exhausted by fatigue, they seek 

The shelter of a friendly grove which near 

Appears, and there unguarded, save by Heave'n's 

Guardian spirits, sleep. When rosy dawn, 

With golden beams, came tripping o'er the lee, 

And fading stars beyond the sky grew pale. 

Up rose the fugitives, refreshed, and sought 

A safer lodge, and soon a dell was found 

With sparkling springs, and wooded coves and vines 

That clustered o'er the wild, romantic cliffs 



25 

That bounded right and left. Secure and pleased 

To find themselves as free as mountain go its 

That bound in tameless freedom o'er the wilds 

And crags of snowy Alps, they tarried here 

'Mid charming solitudes, until the clouds 

Of war swept by. A secret rocky cave, 

Beneath a limestone arch, entwined about 

With jasamine and woodbine sweet, was long 

Their home. The sycamine, pomegranite tree 

And olive, interlocked their branching arms 

Above the door, where warbled forth the birds 

Their sweetest notes of love and praise to Him 

Who built the sylvan temple there, and raised 

Its lofty colonades and arching domes 

With beauty unsurpassed, and roofed it o'er 

With leaflets bright and green, and gemmed with flowers 

That breathed their incense sweet, amid the broad 

And velvet halls, and decked with golden fruits 

The ceiling's stately arch, and hung the wind's 

Low harp among its latticed windows, where 

The breezes strike their wild and touching notes. 

A clear and silver brook ran bubbling by, 

Now winding slow along its mossy banks, 

Now through the narrow 'd channel dancing on 

With quicker'flow, now swift with dimpling flood 

And circling eddies bound along its rough 

And stony path, and tumbles o'er the rocks 

With leap and plunge, and loud-resounding din. 

The darting fish, in silver mail, peered forth 

Beneath the flattened rock, or upward leapt 

In sportive games, the shining eddies 'mong 

Or 'neath the mossy brims, o'erhangiug tufts, 



26 

Found safe retreat. The weeks flew quickly by. 

Except their own, no human voice was heard, 

Until three peaceful months had passed away, 

When lo ! hard by there stood two wandering youths 

Of noble form and kindly mien. Too late 

Fled Noah and his mate within their cell. 

Their course was marked — their hiding-place was known. 

The men drew near, and entering, bade, with kind 

And well-known voice, to have no fear, but speak, 

And tell why thus secluded, far from haunts 

Of man they lived. But 0, what strange surprise ! 

The maiden knew the well-remembered form, 

And forth she sprang with wild delight and cried : 

"My brother Sycam, welcome to my heart," 

While Noah caught in close embrace, Jareel, 

His uncle, loved of old. The happy group 

Down sat, while question followed question fast. 

What friends were living still, and tales of joy 

And sorrow told, and hair-breadth 'scapes and flights. 

And toils were counted o'er. Those youths had searched 

In vain, while rolling years had passed away, 

But now, by Heaven's kind providence, success 

Had crowned their toil. With joyful -hearts they sang 

And prayed until the cavern walls gave back 

From all its dark recesses, loud their song. 

When morning's ruddy glow had streaked the sky 

With gold, the happy band began their march, 

To seek once more their fatherland. O'er hill 

And plain, through forests deep and shaded dells, 

'Mid shining lakes and over pearling streams 

They passed, until they saw the river Ad, 

With crystal flood, whose gliding waters rolled 



27 



Hard by their long-sought home. Upon its banks 
They build a boat — the frame of willows wrought 
With cunning art, and covered o'er with skins 
Of wild gazelle, that roamed those woods and glens, 
And then upon its silver wave they launch 
Their tiny bark, and on its bosom glide 
Along its lovely banks. The journey's end 
At length is reached; their native hills and vales 
Are seen again. Dear friends are crowding round 
To welcome home the long-lost fugitives, 
And eager bend to hear their story told. 
Within those lovely vales they lived, as time 
Its course rolled sweetly by, where, with his bride, 
The youthful Noah fed his flocks and herds. 
Here long he lived, though oft disturbed by bands 
Of robbers roving far and near to seek their spoil. 
The sons of Seth began to grow corrupt. 
And as the gliding years passed swiftly on. 
Exceeding sinful they became. 'Twas then 
God said, " I will not always strive with man ; 
For ever evil is his thoughts, and full 
Of sin; therefore his years shall be six-score;" 
And unto Noah said, " The end is come 
Of all the flesh beneath the sun ; then build 
An ark of gopher wood, for thou hast found 
Within my eyes much grace, and I will save 
Both thee and thine. I marked thy righteousness, 
Thy struggles oft with sin ; and when the world 
Is dark and dead, and cold in death, the sons 
Of earth shall lie beneath the swelling waves. 
Safe shalt thou live. In six-score years I'll bring 
A deluge which shall sweep the earth, and cleanse 



28 

By death her dark polluted shores. Then make, 

According to the plan which here to thee 

I show, an ark, within whose wooden walls, 

Upon the wild and dreary waste of waves 

That deep shall roll o'er the earth, thou mayest ride 

Secure and safe, with thee a chosen few. 

That earth may be re-peopled by a race 

More pure." And now, forewarned of danger near, 

Noah began the mighty work to build 

An ark wherein to save himself and all 

His family. The wood-crowned hills that near 

His usual dwelling stood, with lofty trees 

Supplied with vast profusion all the beams 

And timbers for the giant boat. The work 

Progressed as day by day time passed away. 

The axrung clear amid the verdant groves; 

The lofty woodland kings of giant growth. 

By fierce resistless blows at last subdued, 

With, groan and crash, and loud resounding roar, 

Swift rush from trembling hights, and thunder down 

To earth, amid the frightened forest chiefs. 

Within the valley, many leagues away 

From waters deep enough to float a pile 

So huge and vast, with timbers strong and firm, 

The keel was laid, while upward, day by day. 

The stately fabric grew. The passer by 

Oft heard far o'er the echoing vale the loud 

Besounding blows, and turned aside to view 

The wond'rous sight, a mighty vessel built 

So far from sea or lake, and ask wherefore 

He built so huge a boat, and why of shape 

Unlike all ever seen, and why so far 



29 



From ocean's rolling main. How could he launcli, 

Or if but launched, how could he steer so huge 

A ship. Would not the driving tempest hurl 

It helpless on the rocks, the ruthless sport 

Of surges roaring loud, and dashing high 

Against the trembling shore. He told them all 

How Grod had taught him thus to build, and met 

Their unbelieving arguments, and preached 

Repentance, righteousness and judgment near. 

Some mocked and taunting spoke, and some looked sad, 

And left with thoughtful hearts. Thus far and wide. 

O'er hill and dale, beyond the mountain's glen. 

Through far-off climes, where ocean rivers wash 

The fabled shores of golden sand, was told 

The wond'rous news, and oft the traveler came 

From regions far remote, to see the ark 

And hear the v>^ords of Noah ; then return, 

Kelating to the assembled multitude 

The wonders of his journey; how was built 

With gopher wood the huge, unwieldly ark. 

To save a remnant from a threatened flood ; 

And how the architect is thought insane 

By all the wise within the land. Yet still 

The work progressed — the wonder of the world. 

But man woul4 not repent ; he scorned to yield 

To heaven's high decree. He listened not. 

But sneered at mercy's last and kindest call. 

King Goan, who reigned supreme o'er all the earth. 

And feared no human hand, however great, 

Resolved to see the ark. Determined thus. 

He came from far, and stood hard by and viewed 

It o'er, and thus with mocking words addressed 



30 



The architect : "Why do you build it here? 
Or will you launch upon this babbling brook 
Your awkward boat ; or will you harness to 
Your herd of sheep and kine, and draw it down 
To ocean's shore? 'tis only fifty leagues." 
Then answered Noah : " God, who rules the earth 
And sky, before whom angels bow and cast 
Their glit'ring crowns ; who built the starry sky ; 
Who uncreated and eternal lives 
Through all immensity, gave me the plan. 
And bade me thus to build. The doom of man 
Is sealed, for God will soon o'erwhelm the earth 
With deep, resistless flood, and when the sun 
Shall downward look upon the wat'ry waste, 
Within this ark, sole remnant of a world, 
We'll ride secure upon the rolling deep." 
" Art thou insane," replied the king, " to trust 
Thy specious dreams? 'Tis for thy certain doom 
Thy evil genius whispers thus. No flood 
Is nigh. The earth keeps on her wonted course ; 
The sun and moon and stars still rise and shine 
As bright as when creation's morn first beamed. 
And since our fathers died, still onward moves 
The world unchanged. Then fear no deluge great, 
No sudden change expect, and cease thy toil, 
As useless as a tower of sand high reared 
Upon the drifting desert plain. The God 
Who built the Universe beholds us not. 
Or if He does, cares not how we deport 
Ourselves on earth. He formed this mighty world 
And set it all harmonious moving through 
This vast ethereal space, and ruled by laws 



31 



As fixed as Grod himself, and now He finds 

A wider field of work, creating worlds 

Beyond the outmost verge of heaven's high 

And shining vault." " 0, king of all the earth ! 

Advise me not, 'tis God, I know, who bade 

Me labor thus. The earth is all corrupt. 

And God hath said the word. The end of flesh 

Is come. God reigns on earth, as well as rules 

The boundless universe. Omniscient one 

That knows the secret thoughts of every heart. 

His mercy, too, is great. His justice pure ; 

The day of mercy's past, and vengeance now 

Draws nigh." •' Well, then," says Goan, " if we must die, 

You too shall perish here with us. I'll pull 

Your building down, and hurl it in this brook, 

And let the fragments seaward glide. With us 

Shalt thou remain." " Oppose not thou the power 

Of God," said Noah, " His decrees are fixed. 

Attempt no rashness 'gainst the cherished work ; 

'Twas built by God's command, and now He'll save 

It from thy threatening hand, and punish sore 

The impious head that dares resist His will." 

With angry, flashing eyes, Goan forward strode, 

And raised his giant hand against the ark. 

But vain was human power. A flash, a peal, 

And powerless the giant lay, struck down 

By swift descending thunderbolt. His limbs 

Were palsied by the shock, and, helpless now, 

The prostrate giant slow was borne away 

By guards, who faithful watched their smitten chief, 

Till came the flood and washed them all away. 



32 



PART IV. 

Sycam's Home in the Althean Hills — Entertains a Traveler from 
the West — News from Childhood's Home — Sycam Revisits his 
Native Land — Adventures vi^ith Robbers while Returning to 
his Home among the Althean Hills, 

Far eastward, where the fair Aurora leads 

Her dappled troupe before the rising sun, 

Amid the wild, romantic rocks, and glens, 

And wooded vales of Althean Hills, now dwelt 

Sycam. He long had been a hunter wild 

And free, that loved to roam abroad and see 

The wonders of the world. For Hanatha, 

His long lost sister, carefully he traced 

The winding stream, the burning desert trod, 

O'er verdant plains and snow-clad mountains passed, 

Till Providence had thrown her in his way. 

In search of wild adventure still he roamed 

'Mid friends and foes, and nations far remote, 

Until he reached the Althean Hills. The view 

So fair, so pure the air, so rich the fruits, 

With swelling heart he cried, "My Home ! My Home ! 

Sweet hills and vales, and silver founts, henceforth 

Receive me as thy son," He settled there. 

And chose a faiiy lovely mountain maid 

To walk with him the chequered path of life. 

The happy hours swift glided by. At length 

A pilgrim traveler, worn and weary, came 

That way, and laid him down beneath the shade 

To rest his limbs. Unconscious of the sun's 



m 



)3eclining path, he slept till shades of eve 

Began to draw their lengthened shadows round, 

And stars began to gem the dusky sky, 

When Sycam passed that way, and saw the man 

In slumber wrapped. He wakes him from his sleep, 

And kindly bids him come and rest himself 

Within his tent, and then a bounteous feast 

He spreads. The stranger tells his travels o'er, 

While Sycam, pleased, inquires of the West, 

His native land. The stranger said he saw 

The river Ad, and traced it from its source. 

He oft had wandered through the lovely land 

'Mid which it winds, "What news heard 'st thou whil, 

there?" 
Asked Sycam. "Strange events are passing now 
Within that land," said he. "A man has built 
A monster boat, an ark immense in size. 
It stands upon a plain, the hills behind, 
A brook in front. 'Tis built of shape unlike 
All ever seen by man. Three stories high, 
Three hundred cubits long and fifty wide. 
The door is in the side, a window made 
And finished from above. Within, without, 
'Tis pitched. *The rooms are many, great the strength 
Of all the parts ; and now he gathers food 
Of every kind that's eaten both by man 
And beast. 'Tis almost six score years since first 
The man commenced the mighty work, the fame 
Of which is gone abroad through all the land 
From sea to sea, while nations dwelling far 
Remote, on sea-girt isles, amid the foam 
Of rock-bound shores, oft meet to hold converse 



34 



About the ark, and many travelers leave 

Their course and turn aside to view the sight. 

The giant, Goan, would fain have plucked it down, 

But bolts of heaven's swift, avenging fire. 

Descending, smote him down, and now he lies 

A helpless invalid. Some warlike men. 

Inflamed with hate against the architect. 

Essayed to take his life, but sudden fear 

Restrained their cruel hands, and brought to naught 

Their evil plans. His sons, with cheerful hearts, 

Assist him in his long-continued toil. 

He hired men to fell the forest trees 

And fit them for their proper place ; to saw 

The beams, to forge the bars and bolts, to help 

Him labor on the ark, until he spent 

His riches all, and now himself and sons 

Alone complete the almost finished work. 

The people dwelling there deride the man 

For laboring thus, and call him crazy fool. 

He says that God will soon o'erwhelm the earth 

"With deep, resistless floods, when all that breathe 

The breath of life shall die, excepting those 

Within the ark, and, to escape this flood, 

I fled far east, until I found myself 

Among these lovely hills, and now I go 

Still farther east, until I reach the Vergns 

That heavenward lift their glacial peaks on high, 

Above the clouds, the highest mountain known 

On earth, and there I'll wait, to see if floods 

Will drown the earth." " 'Tis strange indeed," replied 

His host. " Who is this man that builds the ark? 

"His name is Noah." "Noah !" Sycam cried, 



35 

'*I know the man. I knew liim when a child, 

A noble boy was he, as firmly fixed 

In virtue as yon moss-grown rock, o'erhung 

With ivy wreaths. My sister was his bride 

Long ere I saw these fearful deeps, or fed 

My flocks within this sweet, romantic vale, 

Or climbed those rugged cliff's. Long years have roll'd 

Away since first I pitched among these hills 

My tent. I oft have thought of all my friends, 

Whose dwellings stand hard by the far-off Ad, 

And wonder if they still remember me, 

The wanderer, that loved to roam abroad, 

Far o'er the wide, wide world. No tidings have 

I ever heard till thou, most welcome guest. 

Hath brought me word, and now thy speech 

Brings fond remembrance of the past, and soon 

I'll haste away to visit there once more. 

And see my native land again, and hear 

The words that loved ones still may speak, and look 

Upon tJie mighty ark, then bid my friends 

Adieu, and home return, to die with those 

I love the best; but come, lie down and sleep 

Till morn. The moon is rising o'er yon hill, 

The stars invite the prowling beasts of prey 

To seek their food ; the bat is on the wing ; 

The owl within that lonely glen begins 

His nightly song ; the dew has gently touched 

Each flower bell and quiv'ring leaf, and now 

'Tis time to sleep. That couch, there spread, 'tis thine. 

They laid them down and sweetly slept, till morn, 

With gray light, swiftly chased the stars away, 

When up arose the stranger with his host. 



36 

And, soon prepared, the morning meal was served. 

Then onward, east, the traveler bent his steps 

With thankful heart ; for, in those days, kind hearts 

Were seldom found ; while Sycam soon prepared 

To travel westward, bade his wife and child 

Farewell. With trusty bow and quiver full, 

Hung o'er his manly shoulder, onward pressed : 

Broad rivers, mountains high, deep swamps, wide plains. 

And forests dark and wild opposed in vain. 

The howling wolf, hoarse barked upon his track, 

The lion in his pathway roared, and oft 

He heard the hissing serpent near, but safe 

At last he reached the eastern head of Ad, 

And now he builds a boat, and quickly glides 

Along the rapid stream, till gleams in view 

His native land. Once more upon that shore 

He stands. A few old friends still linger there, 

Who gladly grasp his hand, and welcome home 

The wanderer. Again he visited 

Those cherished spots where, in the morn of life, 

He used to spend the happy hours, but now 

He noted changes great. Beneath the shade 

Of bending willow trees, were lowly laid 

Some of his dearest friends, who calmly slept, 

Regardless of the strife that ruined earth. 

He dropped a tear in memory of the dead. 

And left them to their rest. He sought the ark. 

And gazed with wonder on its magnitude 

And novel form. He found the friendly home 

Of Noah, and his sister, Hanatha. 

The story of the ark was faithful'y told. 

The ruin of a sinful world, e'en now 



87 

At hand, predicted o'er. The}^ oft with kind 

Persuasive words ask Sycam to remain, 

And in the ark abide until the flood 

Were past, and earth once more be bright and fair. 

But Sycam answered, " No ; far, far away, 

'Mid Althean hills, my dear and lovely wife 

With one sweet child, await with anxious hope 

My quick return. E'en now methinks I see 

Them as the setting sun withdraws his locks 

Of fire behind the many-tinted clouds 

That deck the western cliffs of rugged rock 

Which gird about her pleasant mountain home. 

Look out with steady gaze upon the plain 

Below, to catch a glimpse of my return. 

Death with the loved at home would be more sweet 

Than life, if they must die. I'll never leave 

Them there to die alone. I'll share their fate, 

Whate'cr it be." He bade them all his last 

Farewell, and with a saddened heart, he turned 

Away and left those valleys to return 

No more. Through perils oft he safely passed. 

Until at length he came where corpses fresh 

Lay bleeding from their ghastly wounds. The charred 

And ashy bones close chained to stakes, the tale 

Of cruel death and horrid torture told. 

He scarce had passed the bloody, dismal spot, 

When sudden burst upon his trembling sight 

A robber camp. He saw their fires, and heard 

Their demon revelry. With stealth he crept 

Away, still hoping to escape their hands. 

Although unseen by eye of man, a dog. 

With loud resounding yells pursued, and showed 



38 



His course. The barking hound soon overtook 

The flying Sycam, who a moment paused, 

And quickly from his bended bow he sent 

A barbed arrow quivering through his heart. 

Then onward sped him toward some rocky cliffs 

And wooded hights, that seemed a refuge nigh. 

The robbers pressed him hard, and gained so fast 

There seemed no hope, but with his arrows smote 

The foremost two, plunged headlong down the abyss. 

Soon Sycam found a dark and narrow chasm, 

Behind a thicket dense of underwood, 

And quickly clambered down within the dark 

And yawning earth. He heard their passing steps, 

But soon returned, they found his hiding place, 

And rolled a heavy stone upon its mouth. 

And left their victim in those dungeon cells 

To die a ling'ring death. He tried in vain 

To move the stone, until, exhausted quite. 

Upon the floor he sank. He lay 

Awhile in blank despair, but soon the thought 

Of anxious, waiting friends at home aroused 

Him from his dark and gloomy couch to seek 

Some other exit from the fearful den. 

His tinder box from its accustomed place 

He drew, and with his arrows made a torch ; 

And with his flaming brand he waud'ring searched 

Through limestone arches, paced the sounding halls, 

With white and glit'ring colonnade adorned. 

Or gazed on bloodless altars standing there, 

And listened to the echo of his voice. 

He sought in vain ; no passage could be found. 

So backward now his steps retraced, he found 



39 

At length the entrance, where he placed the brands, 

Still left, but hark ! he hears a whining noise 

Within a little cleft, before unseen. 

With care exploring slow the winding way. 

At last within a narrow cell he found 

Two tiger whelps, that mourned their absent dam. 

Again returned, he waited near the mouth, 

In hope that soon the dam, returned, would roll 

Away the stone that sealed his living tomb. 

Concealed within a narrow cleft he lay 

Awhile. At length the tigress came. Without 

Delay she strove to move the pond'rous stone. 

She tugged and growled, and lashed with furious rage 

Her heaving sides, but all in vain her strength. 

With one loud yell of disappointed haste, 

She sprang away. Her fierce, returning cry 

The rocks re-echoed soon, and with her heard 

Resounding, low and deep, her mate's loud roar 

Advanced. Quick springing on the rock with strength 

United, soon unbar the cavern's door. 

No sooner was the entrance free, than both 

The tigers sprang adown the yawning deep, 

And disappeared to seek their moaning young. 

Emerging from his hiding-place in haste, 

Quick Sycam scrambled through the cavern door, 

And once again in gushing sunlight stood. 

'Twas but a moment ere his practiced eye 

Had marked his path, then onward swiftly fled 

Along his way. But soon the tigers' yell 

Was heard pursuing hard the fugitive. 

Forewarned thus, Sycam climed a lofty tree ; 

But ere they reached its foot, a herd of deer 



40 



Came bounding by. The tigers, tliirsting bloo^^. 

Beheld the timid herd of antlered prey 

Swift dashing through the thicket's tangled shade, 

And gave pursuit, while faint and fainter still 

The echo died. The shades of evening now 

Began to dim the forests old and gray, 

When Sycam lashed his weary body fast 

To limbs, and safely slept until the morn. 

When morning fully dawned, down Sycam came^ 

And on his journey safely passed. Still on 

And on, fatigued and travel worn, and oft 

In want of food, his toilsome journey pressed. 

At length, when many days and weeks were passed. 

Within the view of Althean hills he drew. 

With anxious, bounding heart, and eager haste. 

He hurried on. His waiting wife beheld 

Him coming from afar, and ran to greet 

Him with a joyous kiss, and arm in arm 

The happy pair returned. The strange events 

Now passing in the West, the dangers passed 

While on his journey there and back, were told. 

The approaching flood they deemed it best to meet 

Upon their own long-cherished hills, and die, 

If needs they must, where they had sweetly lived. 



41 



PART IV. 

Tokens of the Flood — Beasts and Birds Enter the Ark — Noah 
Enters with his Family, and Shuts the Ark against the 
Doomed — Fountains of the Great Deep are Broken Up — De- 
struction of Mankind — Fate of Sycam and his Family — The 
Waters Assuage — The Ark Rests on Mount Ararat— Noah 
and Family, Leaving the Ark, Build an Altar, and Sacrifice 
Thereon — God's Promise to Man. 

The day of vengeance now drew nigh. The ark, 

In all its parts, was now complete. Botli fore 

And aft, above, below, 'twas fully stocked 

With food of every kind that's eat by man 

Or beast. The sun, with dead and leaden stare, 

Down through the gloomy haze, faint looked. The air 

"Was still, and feeling strange came o'er the world, 

Like the sensation felt ere earthquakes burst, 

In awful ruin, o'er the shattered earth. 

Where once the zephyr, wafted on its wings 

Melodious strains, in silence hung the harp. 

The forests echoed not the wood-bird's song. 

While every wing was furled in dreamy sleep, 

Or cowered 'i>eatli some dark and gloomy shade. 

The beasts of prey forgot their midnight prowl. 

The cattle left uncropped the pastures green. 

The finny tribes, in deep mysterious depths 

Concealed, no longer sported on the wave. 

Mankind, astonished, ceased their busy strife. 

The earth awhile was dumb, and silence reigned 

Wide o'er the fearful scene. In anxious fear 

Or expectation dread, all nature stood. 



42 

At length, the living world, from stupor roused, 

The drama op'ed. By sevens or by twos 

The fowls, on noisy wing and clamor great, 

Swift came and sought, by help divine, their rooms. 

And following fast, in long procession, came, 

With stately march, the beasts that roamed those lands, 

The clean by sevens, two by two the rest. 

Still darker grew the atmosphere, and faint 

The murmers of the pent-up thunder groaned. 

At length, when Noah saw that all which God 

Had sent were safely housed within the ark, 

Pie entered with his fiithful house, and shut 

The door against the doomed. 'Twas done. The voice 

Of mercy cried no more, "Spare! Spare!'' Down poured 

At once the circling water- belts that girt 

The earth. The fountains of the mighty deep 

Were broken up. With mighty throes heaved strong 

The earthquake's shock. The ocean's briny surf 

Became a wide and shoreless waste, and drove 

Resistless on, far o'er the sinking plain, 

Its wild and turbid waves. The lofty hills. 

Firm-seated on their rock foundations, bowed 

Their heads and sunk beneath the troubled roar 

Of foaming, lashing billows. Every boat 

And water-craft were soon o'erwhelmed and sunk 

Amid the raging whirlpools, save the ark. 

Where steadily the waters came and bore 

It safely up. Amid the lightning's glare, 

And horrid crash of thunder, pealing loud. 

The screaming, cawing birds of heaven, the groans 

Of struggling, strangling beasts, the wrathful shrieks 

And piercing cries of man for help, were heard; 



43 



And as the flood increased, wltTi power untold, 

One universal wail of woe and death 

Went up to heaven from all the earth. The plains 

Where once the flocks and herds had fed, the whale 

Now lashed the boiling deep, and dashed the spray 

Along his foaming path, and where had roamed 

The tawny king of beasts, sea-serpents stretched 

Their slimy folds along, and hungry sharks 

Pursued their prey, and 'neath the grove where played 

The childish group, or maidens led the dance, 

Now sea-born monsters found a home. Both man 

And beast that 'scaped the first destr action, fled, 

And sought the cragged steeps and mountain hights, 

Which yet withstood the elemental war. 

Pale groups of men and women oft were seen 

To climb the rugged hights, and fiercely' strive 

To gain a foothold 'mid the gathered herd 

Of wild, half-strangled beasts, or fearful cling. 

With flut'ring fowls of air, to shrubs and trees, 

And watch, in anxious dread and dark despair, 

The raging surf beneath, while black above 

The heavens seemed to bend to earth, borne down 

With weight of water irresistible. 

The cold and \yretched beings, drenched in rain, 

Soon perished 'neath the overwhelming waves. 

Far off" in mountain home the deluge found 

Sycam and all his house. At its approach 

He seized his child, and with his consort fled. 

And climbed the loftiest peak of Althean hills, 

And waited there the swift approach of wild 

And raoino; waters, liftins: hvAi their dark 

And rolling billows, oft with white foam capped, 



44 

Or broke by sturdy rocks, tlieir dashing spray 

Higb flung, then swept around the moveless crags 

With roaring cataracts and whirlpools vast, 

Adown th' unmeasured chasms plunged, then up 

Again the troubled waters seemed to climb. 

Till all around was one vast, boiling sea. 

Of human kind, alone they stood, and down 

They looked upon the awful scene below. 

They saw the mountain deer, the panther fierce. 

The howling wolf, hard struggling in the flood, 

Till 'mid the angry surge their last faint gasp 

Was hushed in death. The eagle, dove and hawk, 

And every bird of heaven, sought the peaks, 

Uncovered yet, to rest their drooping wings. 

Still upward rose the swelling deep, and one 

By one the mountain bights were covered o'er. 

Still as a statue Syeam stood, his world. 

His all, his wife and child, he held in close 

Embrace, and calmly gazed below. 'Twas done. 

The rising wave now wets their feet, the next 

Still higher rises, but the rock begins 

To shake ; the lightnings o'er them fiercely glare ; 

The earthquake groans beneath ; with one great heave 

The rock quick sank within the wat'ry deeps. 

One agonizing shriek rang through the air. 

Then all was still ; again a cry was heard. 

Upon a crested billow rose the child. 

Fast clinging to a floatiog fragment, won 

From forests conquered by the aqueous hosts, 

And as the current bore it on the wave, 

Far o'er the boundless waste went mournfully 

Its dying wail, and 'mid the howling blast 



46 

Its echoes died. No hand was there to save. 

On heavenly wings the angels bore away 

Its pure and ransomed spirit, freed from earth, 

To happier realms on high. A flower plucked 

From 'midst the choking weeds of sinful earth, 

And planted 'midst celestial flowers, reared 

In God's resplendent paradise, to bloom 

In peerless glory through eternity. 

Excepting those within the ark, the race 

Of man was now extinct, but still the rain 

In torrents fell, and upward, high, still rose 

The angry surge. The bird of airy flight, 

With heavy, drooping wings, no [)lace could find 

To rest its weary pinion, 'neath the dome 

Of Heaven. One by one, upon the wave, 

They fell to rise no more. So likewise died, 

At length, and last of all, the water-fowl. 

Exhausted by the cold and chilling storm. 

For forty days the rain abated not. 

Till fifteen cubits high, above the peaks 

Of loftiest hight, the waters ceased to rise. 

Then broke and rolled away the cloudy pall 

That long had wrapped the earth in dreary gloom. 

Again the sun, with full efi'ulgence, shone 

Upon the floating ark, to cheer the hearts 

Of those within its wooden walls. The winds. 

With strong and steady breeze, passed o'er the waves ; 

The heavens ceased to pour their watery floods ; 

The fountains of the mighty deep were sealed. 

Again the watery hosts, retreating, sought 

Their ancient beds. When seven months were past, 

The ark safe rested on the rocky clififs 



46 

Of Ararat. The waters still decreased 

Until ten months were j^ast, when mountain peaks 

Were seen to lift, above the watery waste, 

Their rugged sides. When forty days yet more 

Were past, a raven Noah sent abroad, 

To see if earth were dry, which to and fro 

Eeturned until the waters ceased to rage 

On earth. He also sent a dove, which found. 

Beneath the concave vault of heaven, no place 

Of rest, no groves of forests green, nor glens 

With shady bowers, rich in golden fruits, 

As she was wont to find, whereon to stoop 

From flight and rest her weary wings, so back, 

Far o'er the craggy peaks of Ararat, 

On airy pinion borne, again she sought 

The ark, and hovered round till Noah heard 

Her gentle coo, and in the ark received 

The bird. Again, when seven days were passed, 

He sent her forth, and lo ! when she returned, 

Plucked off, an olive leaf she brought, to tell 

The joyful news that earth was dry. The sole 

Survivors of the ancient world prepared 

To leave, 'mid mountain wilds, the ark which long 

Had sheltered them from chilling blasts and storms, 

And safely borne them o'er the brin}^ surge. 

Of all the nations known in days of old, 

But eight alone, of human race, remained 

To beautify the dreary plains of earth, 

Renew the race of man, and rear again 

The prostrate cities of their ancestors. 

In morning's ruddy glow, while golden beams 



47 



Of sunlight streamed o'er every spot, or liigt, 
Or low, the vale, the rock, the cliff, the glen, 
With tints of sweet and varied hue, they leave 
The ark, and down the mountain side descend 
With joyful songs of praise, and when they reach 
The plain an altar build, and 'mid the wreaths 
Of curling smoke and flame, the incense sweet 
Of sacrifice accepted rises up. 
God smelled the savor as it rose, and thus 
To Noah spake : "I'll curse the earth no more 
Because man's thoughts are evil still, but give 
Him power oer all the earth, and all that live 
In sea, or land, or sky. Be fruitful, then. 
And multiply, and when thou see'st on high 
Yon beauteous rainbow shine amid the clouds, 
It is the token made that earth no more 
I'll drown, but while the steadfast mountains stand 
The blooming spring, the summer's golden grain, 
The autumn, rich with ripened fruits, and snows 
Of winter's piercing blast, shall never fail." 



PART IV. 



The Earth Re-peopled — Noah's Home — His Gardens and Fields- 
Noah's Vision of the Future. 

In after years, when earth began to smile, 

With all her lovely plains fair-clad in robes 

Of brighter green, with vineyards rich, and groves 



48 



Of vision fair, with pastures covered o'er 

"With flocks and herds of various hue and kind, 

When men began to multiply, and spread 

Abroad, and beautify the earth anew; 

When, sounding loud far o er the lee, was heard 

The hunter's horn; or by the flowing rill, 

Where slept the sated flock beneath the shade, 

The shepherd's lute prolonged its sweetest notes, 

And artists rang their busy blows, where rose 

The cities, gay and splendid palaces ; 

Then Noah lived in rural quietude. 

Surrounded by his broad and fertile fields. 

He reared his cottage home amid the palms 

That proudly raised on high their tow'ring crests. 

He planted vineyards on the mountain slopes. 

And by the riv'let's lucid wave he spread 

His garden out, with beauty unsurpassed. 

There sylvan walks meandered through the bower 

With many a circling way, that often led 

Where flowers bloomed in bright array, and oft 

Among the scented groves, where sang the birds 

In joyous glee, and eft where thicket dense 

Obscured the distant view of silver pools, 

That gleamed amid the forest trees, or oft 

By sudden turn revealed some new delight, 

To charm the 'wildered mind ; the rugged rock, 

The sculptured urn, the fair arborian seat. 

The limpid stream, where played the bright-ey'd fish, 

The cavern's yawning mouth, with ivy wreathed. 

The cascade, with its white and frothy foam : 

Amid these charming scenes, with friends he loved. 



49 



He spent the quiet evening of his days. 

His sun, undim'd, went down with cheerful glow, 

But, ere the twilight faded, visions broke 

Upon his soul. The wondrous future passed 

Before his eyes. He glanced along the course 

Of time, and saw the stream of life descend 

Until it mingled with and lost itself 

Within the. dread and mighty deeps of Grod's 

Own infinite, unknown eternity. 

The day was fair ; a few bright, fleecy clouds, 

O'er heaven's deep bosom, floated calmly on. 

With gentle beam the sun was sinking down 

The concave blue. Within his garden bound. 

As, lured by varying scenes, the patriarch walked, 

Until he came where brook and cascade played 

In silver sheen, and on the mossy brim 

Reclined, and, soothed by murmuring sounds, he slept. 

In vision fair he saw the nations rise 

In mighty strength, and quickly pass away. 

He saw where Egypt built her fanes along 

The wond'rous Nile, where glorious Thebes arose 

With lofty pride, and sent her conquering sons 

To ravage earth.* He looked again. He saw 

But smold'ring ruins left to mark her grave. 

He saw where Babel reared her solid walls. 

The ruined gates, where Ninus reigned of old ; 

Where Judah's host safe passed the Red sea's flood, 

Were Grecian phalanx o'er the Eastern world 

Resistless swept. He looked again. Proud Rome 

Essayed to rule the world. Her legions fierce 

Went forth and smote the earth from sea to sea, 



50 



And o'er the yeasty waves tliey passed, to seek 

Beyond the deep, new realms unconquered yet. . 

He saw celestial light from heaven shine 

On Judah's sleeping plains, when angels sung 

Seraphic strains, and all the heavenly host 

Adored God, who sent His only son^ 

To save a world condemned. He saw the sun 

Refuse to shine on Calvary's crimson brow, 

When darkness spread her raven wing on high. 

And conscious nature quaked till solid rocks 

Were rent, and ghastly corpses walked the streets. 

He saw where Pagans knelt at bloody shrines ; 

Where tyrants forged their galling chains, and sought 

To quench the last dim spark of liberty. 

AVhere freeborn souls in manhood's lofty pride. 

Aroused by wrongs repeated oft, arose 

And spurned the yoke prepared for slaves, and bought 

With noble blood the boon of equal rights. 

On every sea, and o'er the stormy main, 

Where'er the sun's refulgent beams he saw, 

The gleaming sail, the plunging wheel, and where 

The land in beauty lay, embosomed round 

With shining floods ; he saw the fiery train 

That swiftly swept along the iron way; 

The forked lightning's touch, the magic nerves 

That bind the world in close embrace. Still on, 

As ages rolled away, the picture changed. 

Until before the bright array that fought 

Beneath Emmanuel's flag, he saw the hosts 

Of error yield, and fly in wild dismay: 

Apolyon with his demon aids ; lewd lust 



51 



That spread a blighting mildew o'er the earth, 

Oft leaving wrecks of happy homes once bright 

With flames of love, as pure as pearly drops 

Of dew within the flower-bell, and oft 

It crushed the bleeding heart and left it dead, 

As dead to good or ill as ashes trod 

Beneath the feet. Hypocrisy, concealed 

In garments fair, with double face, and lips 

That utter lies — a secret foe that strikes 

Uuseen ; unfeeling bigotry, blood-stained 

And cruel ; avarice, urging man to grind 

To earth, for fading wealth, the poor and weak ; 

Malicious envy, with its hateful form. 

And superstition, dark and terrible, 

That binds to earth th' aspiring soul of man, 

And fills his empty brain with boding fear, 

With omens dire, with ignorance deep and gross. 

And from the heart the light of truth shuts out. 

Satan, bound in chains, within the realms 

Of blank despair was thrust. Then Bethlehem's 

Bright star th' ascendant proved, and from the sky 

Transcendent beamed, while millions gladly hailed 

Its rise. Then "Peace, sweet nymph, with all her maids, 

A fair and happy throng, resumed her home 

On earth, while fled abashed, with all his hosts 

Of blighting, blasting ills, relentless War. 

The mighty counsellor, the Prince of Peace, 

Then ruled the earth with mild, benignant sway. 

The grim and ghastly idols, long adored 

By Pagan nations, shrined in marble domes 

And temples glittering bright, in golden hues, 



52 

Or lifted up upon some gentle higlit, 

Beneath the tow'ring grove, were tumbled down 

From their polluted seats, and left to waste 

Away and mingle with the smoldering dust 

Of those who vainly worshipped at their feet. 

The Carthagenian no longer hurled 

His child in cruel Moloch's scorching flame ; 

The Hindoo mother fed the crocodile 

No more in Ganges' sacred stream. The car 

Of Juggernaut, beneath its pondrous wheels, 

No more the prostrate victim crushed. Beyond 

The ocean's broad expanse, where coral isles 

Arise, the heathen fanes were ashes made, 

And where the halls of Lenochtitlon once, 

With column arch, and architrave bright, glanced 

Far o'er Teycucoe's silver flood, and sat 

Entranced amid the water's glossy smiles. 

Which mirrored back the teocollis walls 

Of burnished white, the sacrificial drum 

With mournful notes of death's deep rumbling sounds 

No more within the happy vale. No more 

The bloody Aztec carves the quivering heart 

From bleeding human victims. Mecca's tomb. 

Once sacred held by Ishmael's wandering race, 

Where moslems fain would turn the prayerful face. 

When from the mosque's high gilded towers rang, 

Muezzin's cry has long forgotten been. 

Across the arid plains and desert sands. 

Where poisonous winds and wild tornadoes whirl 

Aloft in fatal clouds the whisking sands, 

No long black lines of pilgrims now are seen 



53 



Slow winding toward Coaba's holy stone. 

The mojian's sacred fire is cold and dead 

In Persia's broken shrines, and infidels, 

No more blaspheming, fought against the light, 

But all the universe the God of love 

Adored. All nature seemed to chant aloud 

His notes of praise — the quivering leaf, the reed, 

Slow waving in the wind, the flower's bloom, 

The meadows green, the mountain's cloud-capped peak, 

The water's dimpling smiles, the rolling wave. 

White crested on the ocean's blue, the tints 

That paint the gorgeous clouds, the sun and moon 

And all the mystic host on high, that dance, 

With flaming torches 'long the milky way, 

With song and shout, proclaimed millennial day. 



54 



POCAHONTAS 



INTRODUCTION. 



The time was once, in tlie days of the past, 
When tall trees waved in the wild sweeping blast. 
Untouched, uninjured, all over our land. 
From pine-clad Maine to Pacific's far strand. 

The streams undammed, were rebounding along 
With foam and spray, and sweet murmuring song, 
Through lawn and meadow, through forest and dale, 
With fish emblazoned in bright silver mail. 

Unmoved, unruffled by wheel or by sail. 
The lakes were swelling with only the gale, 
Or trembled under the birchen canoe 
That lightly bounded the billows of blue. 

Bright ores were sleeping far down in the earth, 
Untouched,^ unknown from creation's first birth ; 
The swamp, the plain' and the high rocky steep, 
Were resting quiet in nature's deep sleep. 

The antlered stag and the light-skipping fawn 
Were fed and pastured on meadow and lawn; 
On Western prairies wild buffalo fed, 
Or slept unharmed by the life-seeking lead. 

The bird of song, through forest and plain, 
Ke-echoed loudly his musical strain ; 
While geese and cranes were pursuing the streams, 
Bald eagles were dancing in golden sunbeams. 



55 



The blue smoke curled from the forest and field, 
Where camp-fires gleamed, and the red maiden kneeled; 
The light canoe was then skimming the wave, 
And hills resounded with shouts of the brave. 

The warrior, crowned with the feathery plume. 
Lay ambushed low, in the darkness and gloom. 
Or sped him on where the tomahawk gleams. 
And blood is gushing in crimson red streams. 

Well armed with arrows, the hunter then strayed 
O'er hill and dale, where the spotted fawn played. 
Where thick and high the wild grapevines were hung, 
And clustering fruits from the treetops were flung. 

Those days are past, and the red man is gone; 
The bear, the elk and the dear are withdrawn; 
Retiring back to their primitive clay. 
The grand old forests have crumbled away. 

Where wigwams dotted the forest-clad plain, 
The winds now wave the rich harvests of grain, 
And cities rise with high steeple and dome, 
Where bright and glowing the council-fires shone. 

The herds are lowing where bubbles the rill. 
The streams are turning the grain-burdened mill. 
The lakes and rivers are gleaming with sails, 
And cars are whirling on strong iron rails. 

The white men claim the fair land of the West, 
While red men, striving in vain for rest. 
Have said farewell to their dear native land. 
And sought the sunset's far, wave-beaten strand. 



56 



PART I. 

The sun was sinking down the Western steeps, 

And throwing far amid the opening trees 

Its glancing beams, or lighting up the streams 

And lakes with many a glowing tint. 

Harsh winds were howling 'mid the leafless boughs, 

And creaking trees were swaying to and fro. 

Or rattling 'gainst each other's shaggy trunks 

Their icy twigs, that shone in sunset light 

Like myriad points of bright and flashing steel. 

The moldering flowers of summer, cold and dead, 

Beneath a thin and snowy shrouding lay 

Unseen ; in fierce and startling chorus rang 

The far-resounding howls of shrill-toned wolves. 

And echoed o'er the stern and wint'ry scene. 

Yet on and on, unmindful of the prey 

That leaped athwart his winding trail, 

An Indian hunter sped. His bow, unbent. 

Hung o'er his shoulder, near his quiver, filled 

With many a feathery shaft. In girdle swung 

His tomahawk of stone, while waving helm 

Of many a nodding plume hung o'er his brow. 

Still on he pressed, beneath the lofty trees 

Now lightly bounds the rivulet's icy flood, 

Now circles round the rugged, moss-grown rock, 

Or quickly mounts the intervening bights, 

Till Jamestown's wooden walls were seen to glow 

In setting sun's resplendent beams of gold. 

The Indian stood before the wondering whites, 

And made a sign of peace with waving hand. 



57 



At once wide open swung the massy gate, 
And men of England gathered near to hear 
Whate'er his word might be. The Indian passed 
The threshold bound, while in his hand he held 
A written note. With wondering eyes they read 
That Captain Smith now dwells a captive bound 
Amid the tribes of warlike Indian braves 
Who dwell at Orapakes and Younghtanunds; 
At Mattaponies and Piankatanks, 
Nantaughtaounds, on Rappahannock's stream, 
And ruled by Opecancanough, a chief 
Of power great — a warrior cunning, bold, 
And in Powhattan's councils second deemed. 
By Smith's request, rare gifts are soon prepared 
To please the savage chief and sooth his wrath. 
They take the glittering bead, the shining blade, 
The painted scarf, the black and nitrous grain, 
The blanket wove with many a gorgeous hue, 
To purchase Smith's return. The messenger 
Received their gifts, and homeward bent his steps. 
By moonbeam's pale aad doubtful light he passed, 
With careful step, along the winding trail, 
Until he reached the Indian's distant camp. 
That camp was bright with many a blazing fire, 
While warriors, elad in wild, fantastic garb. 
Danced round their chieftain, Opecancanough. 
The messenger approached his warrior chief, 
And at his feet the package laid, and said : 
^'0, father, see ! to thee the pale faee sends 
These gifts, a rich reward, and well deserved, 
For many noble deeds that thou hast done, 
And now they ask that mercy may be shown 
6 



58 



To yon pale prisoner bound, within your camp." 
"Enough, enough," the chieftain cried, "I take 
The gifts. Arouse ye warriors, brave and true, 
Pile on the wood, nor spare the faggot heaps. 
On, on ! with shout and song and joyful dance. 
Bid sleep good-by, and let him haste to lands 
Less blest than ours, until to-morrow's sun 
Has kissed the western clouds one more adieu, 
And then sweet sleep shall be our welcome guest." 
Now higher bursts the red and forked flame, 
With glaring light and circling wreaths of smoke, 
And spangles high the heav'n with glowing sparks. 
The dusky forest sons, with paint begrimed, 
And gaily decked, with high and waving plumes, 
And armed with bows and clubs, again renew 
The warlike dance, until the welkin seemed 
To rock beneath their wild and fearful shouts. 
Thus danced the Indian throng to music wild, 
To rattles fierce and stern, heroic song. 
With quick and hurried tramp, with warwhoop ring. 
With clanging blqws they paint the battle fray; 
With steps retraced, with laugh and taunting word, 
With fire-brands hurled, and torches swung on high, 
They show how captives died in tortures fierce. 
Now slow and mournful steps in turn succeed. 
With doleful chants, which tell of noble death, 
And burial scenes, when bloody strife was o'er. 
Again the scene was changed. Beneath their spoil, 
With bending forms and struggling, halting steps. 
They seem with toil to wind their homeward way, 
Until the gladsome shout announced at home 
The battle's won, and war has ceased its rage. 



59 



Thus each one urging youth to glorious war 
And noble death, that opens wide the gates 
Of Western Paradise, where brave men live 
In all the exciting joys that Indians love, 
Sang loud his daring deeds of might, or praised 
His father's wondrous feats of olden time. 
The moon had sunk behind the giant oaks 
That loomed against the western sky; the stars 
Grew pale and faded dim in morning's gray, 
Ere Indian crowds had ceased their joyful dance. 
With rising sun they lead the captive bound 
To great Powhattan, mighty king of kings, 
Who dwelt at Werowocomoco town. 



PAKT II. 



Despair, and gloom, and death, now reigned supreme 
In Jamestown's dreary homes and empty streets, 
While hostile Indians watched, with eager eye, 
To stain their critel hands with English blood. 
Sore famine pressed, with harsh, unsparing hand, 
The thinned and weakened band, and sickness, too, 
With ghastly forms, still added deeper woes. 
As if to make destruction yet more sure, 
And blot from human ken their names and deeds. 
Dissension hot and discord fierce were rife. 
In groups, collected here and there, they stood, 
And talked of merry England's sea-girt isle. 
Her lofty, rock-crowned shores and emerald fields, 



60 

Her busy streets and splendid palace halls. 

Her deeds of glorious mi<>;ht in days of yore, 

Her power, that sways the thrones of nations great, 

And rules the dark and stormy ocean wave. 

With sighs they spake of social ties destroyed, 

Of happy homes, of household bands, of hearts 

That throbbed with deep and changeless love, all left 

For wild and savage shores, for cruel want 

And unremembered graves. They watched the sky, 

That seemed to darker grow with gathered storms. 

And talked of Captain Smith, their gallant chief. 

Whose fate was yet unknown. While thus they spoke 

A sunbeam broke through rifted clouds, and threw 

A golden flood of sunshine o'er the scene, 

As if to cheer the sad and gloomy soul ; 

And ere its glow had died on land and stream. 

Emerging from the grand old forest depths. 

They saw an Indian band come forth, and mount 

The gentle bights along the river bank. 

Among that savage horde of painted braves, 

With bounding heart and joyful step, came Smith. 

A hearty welcome met the daring man. 

Who seemed as one returned from moldering grave 

To bless on earth once more his living friends. 

To keep his word to King Powhattan giv'n, 

A heavy millstone, with two culverins, 

Was laid before the tall and painted braves, 

To bear their king, but when they felt their weight, 

And saw what wild effect their fires made. 

They, trembling, stood aghast, and feared to touch 

Such dangerons gifts. With presents rich and rare 

The Indians sought once more their forest home, 



61 



While Smith, to wond'ring friends his story told. 

"Far up the river's narrow, winding stream, 

Where dark and awful forest shade shuts out 

The blaze of day; where dusky shadows flit 

Along the dim-lit aisles and woodland halls; 

Where Indians love to chase the panting stag ; 

Where rocky gorges roar with bubbling founts 

And tumbling cataracts, where marshes spread 

Their damp and tangled thickets far around, 

And op'ning glades revealed the azure sky, 

We went. The antlered deer beheld us pass. 

Then plunged, with leap and bound, mid forest wilds, 

And disappeared ; the bear and panther gazed 

In silent awe, or fled our near approach ; 

The red man cast, from ambush wild and deep, 

His furtive glance, preparing snares and wiles 

For our devoted lives. At length the stream 

Became so choked with fallen trees, the boat 

I left, and with me went an Indian guide. 

At once a flight of arrows hurtled by, 

Loud whoops and yells burst through the forest wilds; 

From every bush, and tree, and moss-grown rock, 

A warlike birth of Indian foes leapt forth. 

They quailed before my quick and fatal fire, 

Until, by cold and treacherous bogs o'ercome, 

I yielded up my arms. Then, having drawn 

Me forth and washed my chilled and mired limbs. 

They bound me fast against a rugged oak, 

And drew their bows and stuck their arrows close 

Around my quiv'ring limbs, until their chief, 

Fierce Opecancanough, held up to view 

My compass, source of strange surprise. At once 



62 

They ceased tlieir cruel sport, and homeward led 

Their pris'ner bound. Through forests old and gray, 

O'er deep and winding streams, and rocky hights. 

Where Indian wigwams rise and blue smoke curls, 

We passed, until we came where Orapakes 

Were wont to build their council fires, and hold 

Their dances round the bloody scalps of war. 

From place to place, in savage triumph led, 

They brought me where Opitchapam resides. 

With feast, and dance, and song, the days flew by. 

Around me, placed within a circle drawn 

Of meal, with many strange, mysterious rites, 

A band of powwows, dressed in hairy hides. 

Bedecked and trimmed with skins of weasels, snakes 

And birds, with horrid incantations danced. 

When thus disarmed of all demoniac power, 

By potent arts and wizzard spells, they led 

Me where Powhattan dwells, the mighty king, 

Who rules supreme, with wide-extended sway, 

O'er nations wild and fierce. His palace hall 

At Werowocomoco town we found. 

Where rules in grandeur wild this native king. 

In raccoon furs enrobed, he calmly sat 

Upon a lofty throne. On either hand 

A fair young maiden sat ; behind, in rows, 

Stood painted girls, with beads and feathers decked. 

Two hundred tall dark guards, in warlike mien, 

With faces painted red, and nodding plumes. 

Were ranged around the wide and spacious halls. 

At my approach a shout re-echoed loud 

Along the palace walls, and sent a thrill 

Of terror through my heart. Apamatuck, 



63 



The queen, became my waiting maid. She brought 

Me water from the pure and sparkling fount, 

And gave me rich repasts. Matoax, too, 

Powhattan's fair and lovely daughter, called 

Sweet Pocahontas; strove, with childish love, 

To soothe my lot. Around Powhattan's throne 

At length a council sat of noble chiefs. 

To smoke the calmet pipe of peace, and seal 

The pale-faced prisoner's fate of life or death. 

Pamunkey's tall and warlike king arose, 

The cruel Opeeancanough, and said ; 

" 0, Brothers ! we have heard our king's command 

To make our council fires burn bright again ; 

To smoke the calmet pipe of peace, and seal 

The white man's fate ; then, brothers, let me speak 

What I have seen, and counsel bearing words 

Repeat. I saw the white man's gleaming sail 

From o'er the big sea-waters come, and reach 

The red man's native strand. They came on shore; 

They took our land, without the red man's leave ; 

They drove our game with frightful arms afar 

Within the miry swamp or forest dense. 

Here, bound, you see the white man's bravest chief. 

We found him where the Chickahominy flows, 

With none to save him from our vengeful grasp. 

As warrior brave beats off his deadly foe, 

He made the red man bleed. Three youthful braves 

Hath felt his daring power. Three fathers mourn 

Their sons, who press their bloody beds and sleep 

The sleep that knows on earth no waking morn. 

Methinks I hear their blood cry out, revenge ! 

The breeze blew softly by and sighed, revenge ! 



64 



The waters' gurgling broke a hoarse revenge f 

The storm-winds rushed in furious rage, and roared^ 

Amid the bounding, crashing trees, and screamed 

A fierce revenge. Sweet sleep embraced nay limbs ; 

Their spirits came and looked with mournful gaze 

Within my eyes, and then with silent lip 

They point the cold and shadowy finger down 

Where yet unstained the towahawk was placed. 

In viewless air the vision faded dim, 

Yet left its impress deep upon roiy heart. 

My counsel is for death and bloody war. 

Is not this land our father's land ? Are not 

Their honored graves within these sacred groves ? 

Have they not left these happy shores for us, 

And shall we let the white man seize our homes ? 

Nay, nay ! but grasp the tomahawk, and hurl 

To earth, with bursting crash, the tree of peace, 

And drive the white man o'er the swelling sea." 

He ceased, and others spoke. Some counseled peace^ 

With friendly intercourse, and others war. 

With look majestic, rose Powhattan then. 

And thus addressed the Indian chiefs i 

"• O, Brothers ! more than seven hundred Dioons 

Have waxed and waned since first I saw the. sun, 

I've seen our fathers die, and leave this land, 

Enriched with sacred tombs of honored sires. 

We, too, have traced the warrior's distant path ; 

Have met the foe in many a bloody fray. 

And homeward bent our steps with glory crowned ; 

And shall we recreant prove, and let these men 

From England's distant shore possess our land? 

I tell you, no. I'm growing old and weak; 



65 



Ere many summers more shall come, my voice 
Will cease to cheer my fearless warriors on ; 
My form is bending toward my fathers' graves ; 
My locks, once blacker than the raven's wing, 
Are growing white. I'm like a lofty tree, 
Beneath whose spreading boughs and ample shade 
My people long have sat in deep repose ; 
But wint'ry storms, and bursting thunderbolts 
From dark and riven clouds, hath killed its boughs, 
And stripped its verdure off. Soon death 
Will hurl it down to earth, in ruin vast. 
Beneath another tree shall red men sit. 
Powhattan soon shall be no more on earth. 
0, Brothers I hear my counsel. Never trust 
The white man's crafty word ; his lips are sweet, 
His words like honey flow ; but bitter thoughts 
Are in his heart ; his eye is hungry now 
For Indian soil and Indian prey. This man 
,Hath shown himself a dread and dangerous foe : 
Then let him die, ere power he gains once more 
To do us harm. Then let the Indian braves 
Prepare for war again, and free our land. 
Thus may we Jeave, when we are gone from earth 
To spirit realms, beyond the sunset clouds. 
To worthy sons our happy fatherland." 
He ceased, and all the council, crying death, 
Arose, while Pocahontas begged her sire. 
With tearful eyes, to spare the captive's life. 
'Twas all in vain. They led me trembling forth, 
And laid my head upon a rounded stone, 
While in a circle round me stood, well armed 
W^ith clubSj a numerous throng of stalwart chiefs. 



66 



Within the circling crowd, with heavy club, 

Pawhattan stood, to deal the fatal blow. 

My hurried thoughts glanced o'er the vista past, 

When dangers hovered thick around my path 

In foreign lands, and death's bright falchion flashed 

Above my head, yet fell on other brows. 

Sure God hath saved me oft in perils dread, 

On land and deep, but then no ray of hope 

Across my dark and gloomy vision glanced. 

I breathed a prayer to Him who rules from high 

The boundless universe. The brawny arm 

Was raised ; high o'er my head the death stroke hung 

Yet ere it fell, sweet Pocahontas sprang 

Within the throng, and threw around my neck 

Her twining arms, and gazed, with silent lip 

And tearful eye, upon her father's face. 

His stern look quailed ; the firm lip quivered then ; 

That high uplifted arm sank slowly down. 

Powhattan strove to hide his weakness shown ; 

He gazed upon the dusky crowd round ; 

He saw that pity , marked each glist'ning eye ; 

Then melted down his cold and icy heart. 

From earth he raised his weeping child, and cut 

In twain the thongs that bound my captive limbs. 

The fatal word Powhattan then recalled 

That sealed my doom ; at once became 

My friend, yet still retained me where he ruled 

The Indian tribes, and taught me how to form 

The barbed shaft, the light, elastic bow. 

The glit'ring bead that maidens love to wear, 

The calmet pipe of peace, or wampum belt. 

They promised Indian name and Indian wealth, 



67 



An Indian maid and sachem's lofty fame, 

And home in Werowocomoco's halls, 

If I would deign to join the warlike throngs. 

And aid to crush their English foes, and seize 

Their wond'rous arms. In vain were all their hopes. 

I could not traitor prove to Albion's sons. 

Though by their hands I oft had suffered wrongs, 

Sad wrongs, still unredressed and oft renewed. 

I longed to end my dreary captive hours. 

And once again the air of freedom breathe. 

In friendly intercourse the days flew by. 

Powhattan spoke with glowing tongue of tribes 

And nations dwelling far remote, and said: 

" Not far north-west, on many a deep, broad stream, 

The Rappahannocks live, a num'rous tribe 

Of warrior's strong. The Massawomekes 

Pursue, on many a wild and fertile plain, 

Their bounteous game, or skim the sparkling streams 

With light canoe. Powhattan 's warriors know 

How sharp their arrows are, how strong their arms 

That wield the tomahawk, how swift their feet 

That seem to spurn the humble grassy plain. 

Still further north, where rocky wood-crowned hights 

And gorges deep, and shady dells are found. 

And fountains bright of bubbling waters gush. 

The Andirondacks live. Still further north 

And west, o'er hunting grounds of vast extent. 

Of valleys deep, of mountains high and steep. 

With purling rills and rivers rolling floods. 

Where lakes embosomed gleam among the hills, 

The Onondagas, Senecas, Mohawks, 

Oneidas and Cayugas roam unharmed. 



68 



In closest union joined, by ns called 
The fearless Aganuschioni tribes. 
Far westward, toward the setting sun's decline, 
Are mountain peaks that upward rear to heaven 
Their snow-plumed cliffs. The eagle, glorious bird, 
That floats amid the thunder-riven clouds, 
Here builds his nest on high and beating crags, 
And plays amid the fires that glowing stream 
Along the sky. Around their bases broad 
Are rocky dells, with dark, tremendous chasms. 
Where sunlight never beams, and yawning caves 
Where mountain panthers den. The waterfall 
Here roars, and downward leaps with misty smoke 
And fearful crash upon the rocks below. 
Here stood, in olden time, a burning mount, 
Whose forked flames went up like fiery tongues 
To lick the stars, while in its rolling smoke 
The moon in ambush lay. By night its flames 
Shed horrid glare far o'er this wond'rous land, 
While dreadful thunders roared with deaf'ning sound. 
At length the' mountain burst, and heaved afar 
Its fragments o'er the burned and blackened waste. 
Then caverns, dark and deep, were open thrown. 
And from their awful depths at once came forth 
The fearless Aganuschioni men, 
A glorious eagle stood upon a rock ; 
Within his talons arrows tipped with flints 
Were firmly held. His glit'ring wings unfurled, 
He whirled aloft, on swooping pinion borne. 
Then sank, with many a circle, down where stood 
The wond'ring Aganuschioni tribes. 
Around a sachem chief he circled oft. 



69 



And on his noble crest an arrow placed, 
Whose point was toward the bright and rising sun ; 
Then slowly mounting high, he eastward plunged 
To greet the morning light, until his form 
Was lost within the glowing eastern sky. 
They hailed with joy the heavenly omen given, 
And over plain and stream, far eastward took 
Their tiresome course. In vain the hostile tribes 
Opposed their onward march ; they fell or fled 
In wild dismay before their dauntless braves. 
Still on and on they passed, until they saw 
Where shone in setting sun's refulgent beams, 
As fair as sleeping maiden crowned with flowers, 
A lovely lake. They marched along its shores ; 
They saw the bounding stag, the climbing bear. 
The waters thronged with waterfowl and fish. 
And heard the turkey's distant voice resound, 
Sweet mingling with the busy hum of bees, 
And songs of birds amid the verdant groves. 
In rapt delight they gazed around ; a speck. 
Like some bright star from heaven's sapphire dome, 
Upon a sunlight cloud, was seen on high. 
And as they watched the gleaming speck, they saw 
It sinking swiftly down with circling flight ; 
And whilst it hovered o'er their heads, they knew 
That eagle form, that strange, mysterious bird 
With arrows armed, whose omens led them far, 
And hailed the sight with loud resounding shouts 
That echoed wide along the rippling shores. 
The eagle stooped and thrust an arrow deep 
Within the earth, and northward sped his flight 
And disappeared. Upon this chosen spot, 



70 

Where lake Oneida ever rolls its waves, 

They pitched their camps, and fixed their changeless home. 

Their names are feared by nations far away. 

And all are glad to smoke with them the pipe 

Of peace, and seek their distant homes afar. 

Still further north and west, vast lakes are seen. 

Whose mighty billows roll their foamed-capped waves, 

When storm-clad spirits leap from heaven's towers, 

And roaring, plunge within their wat'ry depths, 

Resistless 'gainst their far-extended shores. 

The Eries, Hurons, Wyandots here shoot 

Their bounding barks along their wave-rocked shores. 

Far westward. Sacs and Foxes chase their game 

Through varying scenes of prairies wide and rich, 

Of shady forest grove and winding stream. 

Both south and west, the red men throng the wilds 

That stretch in vast extent along the sea, 

Or under mountain shade, 'neath western skies. 

The Tuscaroras and the warlike Creeks, 

The Shawnees, Chickasaws and Cherokees, 

And other tribes, the happy plains possess. 

Still further west, beyond these nations' bounds, 

A mighty river rolls its whelming tide 

From northern lakes and far off" western plains, 

To join the ocean's deep and boundless main. 

'Tis said that long-haired nations roam afar 

O'er treeless plains that wave with bending grass, 

To hunt the buffalo that often feed 

In herds so vast the eye can see no spot 

Where ends the living mass that surges on 

Like swelling waves on ocean's briny deep. 

'Tis said that rugged rocky mountains rear 



Above the dark and misty clouds, tlieir peaks 

That ffleamino; shine with snow's eternal frost. 

While further still, with loud and endless roar, 

A vast and mighty ocean ever rolls." 

This wond'rous story told, Powhattan ceased, 

And called his lovely child, and bade her sing 

The Indian's spirit song of paradise. 

With strange, sweet voice, then Pocahontas sang 

Where the sun is now descending. 
Where the purple clouds are blending. 
Far beyond the ocean's swelling, 
There is found the red man's dwelling. 

There his spirit home is gleaming. 
Where the lakes are brightly beaming, 
And the waters ever flowing. 
With the breezes sweetly blowing. 

Spring and summer, cheering ever, 
Wint'ry storms are chilling never 
In that land of vernal flowers. 
In that clime of summer showers. 

There the leaves are seen revealing 
All the tints of heaven's ceiling, 
All the tints of rainbow's weaving 
All the tints of sunset's leaving. 

There the trees are ever stooping, 
With their branches ever drooping, 
Bending down with fruitful treasures, 
Source of sweet and pangless pleasures. 



72 

There the cascades bright are foaming, 
Where the spotted fawns are roaming, 
Where the herds are lightly bounding, 
And the turkey's whistle sounding. 

Game abundant, never failing. 
Through the sky the birds are sailing ; 
In the waters fish are dancing, 
Where that fairy land is glancing. 

Bravest hunters now are straying, 
Sweetest maidens now are playing, 
Dearest friends for us are longing, 
In that land with spirits thronging. 

Lovely region ! blest forever ; 
Death and sorrow fright thee never ; 
Happy spirits climb thy mountains ; 
Joyous spirits quaff thy fountains. 

O, ye breezes ! gently blowing. 
Bear me where the day is going. 
Where the sunset clouds are shining, 
Where the good are now reclining. 

When Pocahontas ceased her thrilling strains, 

I thus addressed the aged Indian king : 

Far east, beyond the dark blue ocean brine. 

The white man's home is found. There, sea-girt, stands 

Fair Albion's isle, that rules the wat'ry realms. 

A lovely land, with fair and fruitful vales, 

With rugged hights and lofty mountain cliffs, 



73 

With shining lakes and clear, meand'ring streams. 
Around its stern and rocky shores resound 
The loud and ceaseless din of tumbling waves, 
The roar of foaming surge and dashing spray. 
As num'rous as the falling snow-flakes are 
That darken all the azure sky above, 
And dims the light of day, so num'rous are 
The countless multitudes that busy throng 
Far England's happy isle. As silv'ry stars 
In number shine, when western waves have quenched 
The blazing fires of day, and wint'ry clouds 
Have fled to other skies, in numbers such 
Her cities rise, with splendid battlements, 
With rounded domes, and heaven-seeking spires. 
With stone-carved palace halls and bastioned towers, 
And ancient abbeys, grim with hoary age, 
Whose solid rock-built walls and turret cones 
Are clothed with moss a thousand years have grown. 
On every valley, plain and hillside slope, 
And even 'mid the rocky steeps and crags, 
Where storm-winds round the eagle's eyry howl, 
The herdman's cot and farmer's roof arise. 
The shop, the mill, the church, the deep -dug mine, 
Are seen on ev'ry side. Strong stone-built forts, 
With thunder-speaking cannon armed, defend 
From foreign foes. On all her streams and lakes 
The gentle breezes waft her whitened sails ; 
Her stately ships are tempting ev'ry sea ; 
Her fleets have swept the ocean's foaming deep ; 
Her glorious flag has waved in ev'ry breeze. 
What tongue can tell the daring deeds of might, 
The wondrous feats her fearless sons have wrought. 
7 



74 

Her power is feared in many a clime remote, 

And distant nations court her friendly smile. 

From England's sea-born isle far north and east, 

The wave-washed strands of famous Europe stretch 

Along the blue Atlantic's nether sky, 

From snow-clad realms and ice-bound shores, 

Where, undisturbed, fierce Winter holds his court, 

And sends his sweeping blasts of cloud and storm 

To darken all the azure dome, and clothe 

The naked earth with robes boreal wrought, 

To where, in sunny climes, the vine-clad hills 

In beauty shine, and gleaming lakes are bright 

Within the Switzer's wild romantic vales. 

In Europe's wide-spread realms the nations pale, 

The white man's race from ages far remote, 

Have lived and loved, have marshaled bannered hosts, 

And waged their bloody wars ; have bowed at shrines 

In humble prayer, or mocked their fathers' God ; 

Have spent their lives in toil, or deluged land 

And deep with human gore, to gain renown ; 

Have delved down deep in earth, or compassed round 

The sea's remotest bound for glittering wealth ; 

Have reared aloft their cities' sculptured fanes. 

And found their graves among their fathers' tombs. 

From Europe's fertile valleys, sundered wide 

By foaming billows, Afric's torrid plains 

Far Southward stretch, beneath the burning sun ; 

A world to nation's pale almost unknown, 

Where men with fleecy locks and visage black 

Have found a home — a land where deserts spread 

In boundless barren plains of scorching sand. 

Without a tree, a shrub, a flower or leaf, 



75 

To rest or cheer the weary, aching eye ; 

Where thousands perish oft with raging thirst, 

Where Death comes riding on the whirling storm. 

With poisonous blasts, and whelming clouds of sands ; 

A land where mighty rivers flood and swell 

To shoreless seas ; where forests dark and damp. 

And jungles tangled thick and overgrown, 

Breed pestilence and death among mankind. 

Still further toward the sun-god's glorious land, 

From whence the morning's sunbeams seem to flood 

With light, all golden, earth and sea and sky. 

The Asian world is found — a mighty land, 

Of hills and dales, of broad and fertile plains, 

Of arid desert wastes, of storm-tossed lakes. 

And rivers rolling onward, deep and broad ; 

Of gorges dark and wild, where echoes loud, 

With ceaseless din, the mist-clad cataract. 

And lofty mountains, tow'ring crag o'er crag. 

Until their frozen peaks, in sky serene, 

Look down upon a cloud-wrapped world below. 

As pigeons flock within these forests dense, 

As honey-bees are swarming through the wilds, 

When flow'ry spring has clothed the earth in bloom. 

So throng her teemiog millions o'er her plains, 

Or swarm within her cities' crowded streets. 

This wondrous land was man's primeval home. 

Here Adam, sire of all the human race. 

First saw the beaming light of day; here sinned. 

And evil brought upon our changing world. 

Here Christ, the Saviour, came from heaven's throne. 

And clothed with mortal mold of human form, 

Here sinless lived, and died a cruel death, 



76 

To save a fallen world from sin and woe ; 

But now the world is hushed in quiet sleep. 

The moon has climed above yon ragged cloud, 

The cold winds whistle through the leafless boughs; 

Upon the crusty snow is heard afar 

The wild deer's tramp ; and now, 0, mighty chief, 

If thou wilt favor me, when morning breaks, 

Let brave men lead me where the white men are ; 

Let Indian chieftains bear my gifts to thee, 

And let the tomahawk be buried deep. 

Where grows the tree of peace. Thy prayer is heard. 

To-morrow's light shall see thee greet once more 

Thy friends in peace. Now wrap thy weary limbs 

In robes of fur, and sleep till morning dawns. 

Thus spake the Indian King, then sank in sleep 

Each drowsy eye. How well his faith was kept 

Your eyes have seen. Through scenes of danger oft, 

By land and sea, in Europe's bloodstained fields. 

Or western wilds, where savage red men rove. 

The God of love hath kept my periled life. 

The storms of life adverse have quickly fled. 

As darkness fades before the dawning light. 

And now I'm with you once again in peace." 



PART III. 



The summer came and went. Autumnal frosts 
Had painted bright the forest, hill and plain 
With gray and brown, with gold and crimson tints. 
The hurrying breeze had torn with eager hands. 



77 

From each parental bough, the dying leaves, 

Far filling all the hazy atmosphere, 

And strewing them wide o'er the fading scene. 

The golden corn, the Indian's sacred wealth, 

Was hoarded deep within their cavern barns, 

Scooped out beneath the liillside's sloping brow. 

Again the buried tomahawk, unearthed, 

Was raised against the blooming tree of peace. 

The white men's camp was near the river's bank, 

Beneath the lofty trees. The evening shades 

Fell slowly, filling all the forest depths 

With gloomy night. The white man's leader sat 

In thoughtful silence, listening close, to catch 

Each sound that broke the quiet evening air. 

Powhattan's words that day had friendly seemed, 

Yet Smith had omens seen of hidden mien, 

Which roused within his mind suspicious fears 

That plots were thick'ning round the white man's path. 

Around the red man's glowing fires, that gleamed 

Where cave-like wigwams resting 'neath the trees, 

Revealed a strange, wild scene. The dusky throngs 

Of Indian warriors, gathering round their chiefs. 

Were plotting death for all the pale-faced men 

Who dared to sleep within their forest bowers. 

The secret plot was laid. With eager haste 

Each warrior seized his arms and stood prepared 

To join the feast of blood. Slow dragged the night. 

With noiseless wheel, its sombre car along. 

To those who anxious wait the midnight hour, 

Ere rushing on their pale-faced, sleeping foe. 

Sweet Pocahontas saw the gathering storm, 

And then, forgetting all her father's love — 



78 

The kindred ties that bind to home and friends,, 

Regardless all of dangers hovering thick, 

By secret path she left the council fires, 

Which threw its candent beams of reddish light 

Far o'er the welkin's crowded bound, and gained 

The forest, dark and dense, then onward pressed 

Her toilsome course. Sometimes the moon broke forth 

From 'neath the angry clouds that hurtled by. 

And looking downward through the leafless boughs, 

Smiled gently on the maiden's lovely brow. 

As once she smiled, in fabled days of yore. 

Upon the sleeping youth, Endymion, 

Who fed on Latmos' rich and vernal meads 

His tender flocks ; and then she veiled her face 

In misty shrouds. Upon her path the stars 

From lofty silver thrones by turns gleamed forth 

With soft and lambent light ; then left the world 

In thicker gloom. Thus on and on she pressed, 

Now tripping blithely on the rustling leaves. 

And lightly bounding o'r the chiming rill ; 

Now slowly groping through the thicket's maze, 

And bending down to loose from gnarly boughs 

Her dark and flowing hair ; now threads her way 

Along the dark and lonesome glen, and climbs 

The woody hight that intercepts her course. 

The owl hoots wildly from the miry swamp — 

She heeds it not ; the wild deer snorts and bounds 

Along her path ; his flight disturbs her not. 

Upon a distant hill she plainly hears 

The howling wolf, yet still her heart is brave. 

And onward speeds her toward the white man's camp. 

Dreaming of Merry England's distant hills 



79 

And cottage homes, a youthful sentinel 

AVas standing at his post and gazing out 

On the deep darkness closing round the scene. 

He heard the gentle footsteps near, and strained 

His glaring eyes to pierce the murky night. 

Still on and nearer came the rustling sounds, 

Till on a sudden burst from heaven's gloom 

The moonlight silver flood, and by its aid 

He saw an Indian girl of lovely form. 

At once his musket poised, then rang afar 

His challenge, " Who goes there?" "A friond, afriend 

In haste ; I wish to see your chieftain, Smith," 

Re-echoed back a sweet, melodious voice ; 

And as the moonbeam played, with mellow tinge, 

Upon her brow, the youthful warrior stood 

Transfixed with wonder, gazing on her face 

That seemed so heavenly fair, some wand'ring nymph 

From fountain's foam, or angel spirit come 

From fair Hesperian isles beyond the deep. 

Again she spoke. Young Rolf, recalling then 

His wandering thoughts, at once a signal gave, 

And soon the sleepless Smith was by his side. 

He knew that givlish face and beaming eye, 

And then with grateful arms embraced the girl. 

"Sweet child," said he, "what business brings you here 

At this untimely hour, when all thy mates 

Are sleeping round their father's smoldering fires? " 

" To save your life, and those who dwell with you. 

E'en now our chieftains marshal all their tribes 

To strike a treach'rous blow, and ere the dawn 

Shall gild the orient sky, to slay you all. 

And bear to Werowocomoco's town 



80 

The trophies of your spoiled and plundered camp. 

Give heed to all my words, and let them know 

Their secret plots are known ; that white men have 

No dread of Indian wiles ; but tell them not, 

Nay, whisper not to sighing winds, or breath 

It where the purling waters go, the part 

I play to-night ; but let it e'er remain 

With you and he and I ; for blood alone 

Can e'er atone for bloody plans all foiled 

By me. Yet one thing more, before I leave ; 

Let not revenge be stirred within thy heart, 

But friendship seek with all our native tribes. 

I've warned thee thus, and now I say farewell." 

The maiden's footsteps quickly died away 

Within the forest's dark and tanoled maze. 

Then 8mith aroused each sleeping comrade there, 

And bade prepare to meet the war's grim rage. 

Beyond the picket's furthest post soon blazed 

Th' encircling fires that shed a lurid light 

Far out among the huge old forest oaks; 

While from the dark and fireless camp a host 

Of watchful eyes was scanning each approach. 

The hours passed on. 'Twas midnight's darkest gloom. 

The gathering clouds of heaven had blotted out 

The last dim star that fain would kiss with light 

The mist-clad world below. A hooting owl 

Broke the deep silence resting o'er the scene ; 

Then still another, from a distant hill 

Resounding, echoed back the dismal howl. 

Now, brave men, firm as rock-ribbed mountains stand 

Until our foes are scattered far in flight. 

It is no hooting owl, with feath'ry plumes 



81 . 

That wastes his voice upon the midnight air. 

With painted warriors comes Powhattan now, 

On murd'rous errand bent. The whippowil, 

With plaintive voice, next sang his lonely song. 

Then all again was quiet, save the waves 

That broke with murmuring sounds along the shore, 

Until before Apollo's glowing car 

The darkness fled, and sought its cavern home 

Beyond the ocean's ever-flowing stream. 



PART IV. 

The cold and winf ry sky, with snow and storm, 
Had fled Virginia's bright and happy clime, 
While gentle spring had flung her mantle green 
Far o'er each mountain hight and humble vale. 
Again the brook went murm'ring through the glens, 
The cascade's chiming music rang afar 
Amid the wilds. Released from icy thrall, 
The lake revealed its clear and glowing depths ; 
The sycamore, with snowy bark, shone forth. 
And told where rivers chased their hurrying waves 
Far onward toward old ocean's wave-rocked strand. 
Again from blooming whitewood, linden, plum, 
And maple, hummed the busy honey-bee. 
Again the oriole and robin sang 
Their cheerful songs. The turkey's pipings shrill 
Re-echoed through the fortst's shaded aisles. 
While ducklings glided o'er their watery haunts. 
8 



82 



On many a sloping hillside bounded free 

The spotted fawn, with light and nimble feet, 

And drank the deep inspiring draught of joy 

That nature metes to all her forms of life. 

Arrayed in light, fantastic vesture, daneod 

And played the Indian youth, or gaily launched 

Upon the limpid wave their light canoes, 

And sang responsive to the silvery ring 

Of pebbly streams, their wild and touching strains. 

They sang the praises of Chemanito, 

The mighty builder of the universe, 

Creator of the living, thinking world. 

They sang of great and dread Maohinito, 

A demon feared by all the Indian tribes; 

The horrid one, whom Great Chemanito 

Had formed in ancient time, 'mid ocean waves, 

Upon a sea-born isle, that quiet sleeps 

In em'rald tinge, set fair in foamy spray. 

They sang of floods and torrents rnging wild, 

That swallowed up green fields and pine-clad hills, 

And swept from earth all living, breathing forms, 

Save Manahozho, mighty spirit, called 

The god of valley, plain and wood-crowned steep, 

Who, climbing high a lofty mountain peak. 

And scaling higher still, 'twixt heaven and earth, 

Upon the haughtiest pine-tree, sat and gazed 

In safety from his eyry's misty throne. 

Upon a world of waters far below. 

The Indian matrons, too, were busy now, 

Turning the loamy earth and soft'ning well. 

With flinty hoes and skillful hands, the clods 

Around the Wagemena's silken shoots, 



83 

And planning how. to save the growing grain 

From Paimasaid, the cornfiekl's dreaded thief. 

The Indian warriors now had plumed anew 

Their waving helms, had stained their clubs again ; 

Had laid the w^ar paint on their cheeks, had proved 

The strong, elastic bow ; had trimmed the flint 

That armed the feathery shaft; had eaten herbs 

Of bitter taste, to make each warrior brave, 

And dread no more the painful gash, or fear 

The gaping wound, and left their wigwam fires 

To follow where the glorious war-path leads. 

'Twas then, while morning light was beaming wide, 

Far over land and stream, that Paspahey, 

An Indian brave of giant form, well armed, 

With bow and quiver o'er his shoulders flung, 

Went forth with wiles, to slay the white man's chief. 

The strange and wond'rous Captain Smith, who seemed 

A powwow blessed with more than mortal power ; 

A man who knew the Indian's cunning thoughts ; 

A man who had no fear of barbed shaft. 

Nor trembled when the bloody spear was raised ; 

A man who had jio dread of cold or storm, 

Who talked with thunders in their misty homes. 

And read the mysteries of sun, and moon, 

And stars, and all the shining host of heaven. 

The warlike Paspahey beheld his foe 

Alone upon the river's sandy beach. 

And came with friendly mien, and sought to lure 

Him on within some wild and secret grove, 

Where antlered herds were wont to congregate, 

CO J 

Or lead him where the waving corn was green, 
Or still beyond, where gleams a quiet cove, 



84 



So dark with overhanging shade of vines, 
The haunts of waterfowl and darting fish; 
But Smith perceived the Indian's true intent, 
And strove to shun his strong and crafty foe. 
Then Paspahey, ere Smith could draw his sword, 
Quick seized him in his iron arms, and bore 
Him down where flowing waters swept along, 
And plunging in the crystal wave, strove hard, 
With giant strength, to drown his pale-faced foe. 
As when the Greenland whale and swordfish meet, 
And striving in the deadly struggle, dash 
On high the beaten spray with flukes immense, 
And stain the boiling sea with crimson streams, 
So strove they thus, within the rushing tide. 
By turns each sank beneath the troubled waves, 
Yet he, who oft beyond the Atlantic's main 
Had met grim death upon the gory plain. 
Where thousands found a soldier's bloody grave. 
Had often braved old ocean's heaving swell. 
Where distant shores beat back the shining floods 
Of Eastern climes, proved then a fearful foe, 
And soon the Indian sank beneath his hand. 
Then blazed aloft his falchion's gleaming blade ; 
Then begged the mighty Paspahey for life — 
For life he begged, with sad, pathetic prayer. 
The angry heart relented then. The sword 
Befused to drink the crimson streams of life. 
Smith spared his giant foe, yet left him bound. 
Till cool reflection swayed the tender heart. 
And bade unbind, and let the pris'ner go. 
" 0, Paspahey! although you sought, by wiles 
And strength, to take my life, and though I have 



85 



The power to crusli thee down with vengeance dire, 

Yet mercy bids me sheathe my wrathful sword, 

And send thee to thy wild-wood home unhurt. 

I ask but this : be thou my faithful friend, 

To give a helping hand in time of need; 

And tell the red men of your forest realms, 

That peace and friendly trade is what we seek, 

Not bloody war, nor midnight's battle cry. 

We would not seize with greedy hand, your lands. 

And drive you homeless from your fathers' graves ; 

Despoil your hunting grounds, and desecrate 

Your sacred tombs; yet on this river's shore. 

Where now we stand, we fain would buy a home 

Where we may build a city vast and great. 

With glit'ring domes, and churches' lofty spires — 

A happy seat for scholars and divines — 

A fount from which the red man's race may draw 

Unfailing streams of knowledge, both of heaven 

And earth; a mart of wealth and wide renown. 

Where sea-washed prows, from o'er the azure deep, 

May rest secure within a shelt'ring port, 

Where friendly races, thinking nought of war. 

Exchanging merchandise, enriching all. 

May meet, as brothers, in one common home." 



» PART V. 

The sun's last rays of gold and crimson tints 
Were slowly fading from the western sky, 
When Pocahontas brought her youthful friends 



86 



Around her mother, Queen Apamatuck, 

To hear her tell. of strange, wild deeds, performed 

In days of yore ; to speak of heaven and earth, 

With mysteries of sun, and moon, and stars, 

Of comet trains and trailing meteors, 

Of thunder, wind, and clouds with lightnings armed, 

The curving bow Chemanito displays 

Before he darts his slaying arrows high. 

She told the eager throng of Kwasind's might. 

His strength was more than mortal man had known 

Since Manabozho re-created earth. 

Ere Kwasind came to earth the land was clothed 

With forest growth so thick, no space was left 

To raise the Magemena's golden ears, 

The rivers choked so thick with fallen trees, 

Canoes were scarcely known in all the land. 

Then mammoth monsters ranged the tangled woods 

And wallowed in the deepest lakes and streams. 

Till men would fain conceal their feeble forms 

In mountain dens, and caverns dark and deep. 

The tall trees fell beneath his mighty hand. 

And disappeared among the glowing fires. 

He plunged within the river's tide, and cleared 

The drifting flood-wood from its wat'ry bed. 

He bent his bow, his vengeful arrows flashed 

As lightnings through the storm-cloud's murky gloom, 

And all the monsters died. E'en now their bones 

Are oft unearthed by delving rains, and floods 

That rush from mountain bights, uprooting trees. 

And sweeping fiercely through the gorges wild. 

He taught to cultivate the silken ear. 

The juicy melon and tobacco plant; 



87 

To bend the strong, elastic bow, and shape 

The stony knife and flinty arrow head. 

Long time ago there lived an orphan boy, 

Nazhickawasun, who, mourning, prayed 

To Kabeun, the god of western winds, to save 

Him from his cruel friends. Great Kabeun 

Heard his request, and bore him high, on wings 

Sublime, and placed him 'mid the golden skies 

That curtain round the sunset's glowing couch. 

Then Kabeun with magic arrows armed 

The youth, and sent him northward, far, to slay 

The demon spirits of the icy world. 

In vain he bent his bow and sped his shafts. 

With ever-changing forms the demons shunned 

His magic bolts. They changed the hapless youth 

To the lone lightning's blaze that often streams 

At eve along the frosty northern sky. 

She spoke of Weeng, god of cheerful sleep. 

Whose balmy breath infused a calm repose 

Throughout the varied realms of sentient life. 

The Puckwudjininees, or fairy elves. 

In strange, fantastic garments draped, attend 

The sleepy god, to lead, on airy flight, 

Through dreamland's strangest realms, the drowsy mind. 

On dusky pinions borne, the god of death, 

Weeng's fierce brother, Pauguk, wings his flight, 

And lays his heavy hand on young and old. 

At once the sparkling eye grows faint and dim ; 

Within the pulseless breast the throbbing heart 

Lies cold and still. The soul then flies away, 

Led on through sun-gilt realms of upper air 

By shining spirits, toward the sunset sky. 



88 



Where flows a crystal stream, that laves afar 

The shores of heaven. Descending down to eartli^ 

It stands upoi^ the silvery strand, and waits, 

With longing eyes, to pass the waveless tide. 

And gain that happy shore that gleams in sight. 

That pangless land where dwell the good and brave. 

The stone canoe that skims the glassy flood 

Keceives the anxious soul, and bears it on,. 

And as it hears the ripples break around, 

It bends to gaze within the wat'ry depths, 

And sees upon the glowing sands below, 

With hands uplifted, beck'ning forms of souls^ 

Sin-wrecked in passing o'er the glassy flood. 

The guilty soul then plunges deep and sinks. 

And ever strives in vain to gain the shore. 

But safely pass the souls of good and brave, 

And reach that happy realm, where, free from pain. 

They roam the sunny plains of paradise, 

Or rest in fair elysian bowers, famed 

For luscious fruits, that ever cluster rich 

Within that sweet and fadeless autumn clime. 

Then Pocahontas, speaking, said, " I fain 

Would hear Mis-ha-za's famous story told." 

'Mis-ha-za was a great magician," said 

The Queen, " who lived in very ancient time. 

Ere all these mighty oaks were sprouting germs;. 

He wandered far, through all the Indian world. 

Where'r his duty called him was his home. 

By one short word, of magic power, he sped 

His swift canoe far o'er the wat'ry gleam, 

Or sailed on wind-spread wings through airy fields, 

More swift than pigeons dart along the sky. 



89 



Or eagles swoop from dizzy bights of heav'n, 

To snatch the patient fish-hawk's hard-earned prey. 

He taught mankind to build the birch canoe 

That sweeps so lightly o'er the glowing wave, 

To form the wigwam 'gainst the winter's cold, 

To bend the hook and catch the darting fish, 

To heal the sick and cure the bleeding brave, 

To read the signs of sea, and earth, and sky, 

To ev'ry man foreboding good or ill. 

To worship well, with song, and dance, and prayer, 

And living sacrifice, the Manitos. 

He glanced far down in future days, and saw 

The changing spirits lay resistless hands 

Upon the earth, destroying ever works 

Themselves were building ever, sparing nought 

That earth could call her own. Prophetic words 

He spake. The time would surely come, he said, 

When men, forgetting good, shall evil do, 

Shall worship demon spirits more than good. 

Shall turn their weapons from the hunter's chase, 

And desolate the land with bloody wars. 

Then stormy winds from o'er the sea shall waft 

White-winged canoes of strange and wondrous size, 

Filled with the children of the rising sun. 

Their coming sounds the knell of Indian power. 

As fades the forests green before the frost. 

So shall the Indian power pass away 

Before the steady march of nations pale. 

Thus doing good, he lived till hoary age 

Had whitened all his raven locks, snd dimm'd 

The flashing eye, when Pauguk whispered, "Come." 

With joy he heard the call ; his work was done ; 



90 



He had no friends to make, no foes to harm, 

For he was loved by all the Indian world. 

Beneath his fost'ring care and cheerful smile, 

An evil world had bloomed in beauteous growth, 

A feeble race made happy, strong and wise. 

Just as the sun was sinking down to rest, 

Within the purple couches of the west. 

That glowed with more than earthly beauty then, 

That glowed as if the forest, plain and stream. 

Had given all their treasured beauties, leaves 

And flowers, flitting birds and butterflies, 

Bright foam and silver fountains, golden sands 

And pearly sea-shells, rainbow archings fair, 

And autumn fruits, to deck the azure sky. 

He called the people round, and told them all 

His fated time to leave the earth had come, 

That he should come no more in mortal form, 

That they should call to mind his teachings oft, 

That he should look upon them from the sky, 

And see how well they kept his earthly laws ; 

Then, bidding all a long farewell, he spake 

The magic word. The wing'd canoe arose 

And gently sailed along the gorgeous sky, 

Far toward the setting sun. The people watched 

Until it seemed, within the distance dim, 

A shining speck, while round it gaily danced 

Strange, snow-white spirits, 'mid the gleaming clouds 

Then Pauguk made a bright and glowing star 

From out the shining speck. E'en now, at eve, 

Mis-ha-za shines above the sunset couch, 

The people's bright and beaming evening star.*^ 

"E'en now the time fulfills that prophecy," 



91 



Said Pocahontas. " Yesterday I saw, 

Just as the white-plumed swan majestic sits 

Upon the sparkling flood, or swiftly rides 

With graceful mein the swelling waves, canoes, 

White-winged and huge, and full of bearded men, 

Arrive at Jamestown. Smith, the white man's chief. 

I saw, and told him all the peaceful words 

My father bade me speak, and, ere I left, 

I saw a pale-faced youth, whom once before 

I saw, toward whom my heart began to yearn 

With strange, yet earnest love, and, stranger still. 

He seemed to look at me with eyes that spake 

With ev'ry tender glance of heartfelt love, 

While ev'ry accent of his sweet-toned voice. 

Aroused deep slumb'ring echoes in ray heart, 

Slumbering echoes there unknown before. 

He led. 1 followed on with joyful steps, 

Until we gained a seat upon the shore. 

He said his name was Eolf ; that he was born 

On England's distant strand ; that he had left 

Within his childhood home his dearest friends, 

And wandered here to cure a wounded heart, 

Bv strange adventures in a forest land. 

He showed to me the winged canoes, or ships, 

And told me how they built them, huge and great, 

On England's shore, and how they steered them on, 

By night and day, far o'er the ocean's blue. 

This ship had brought more men and merchandise. 

More ships were on the foamy path that leads 

The white man here. He hoped for peace and trade, 

And friendly intercourse between our tribes 

And men of Endand's isle. He told me much 



92 



Of all the olden world, beyond tlie sea, 
That lies beneath the bright, eifiilgent glow 
Of morning sun light, with its varied scenes ; 
The shining sea-shore, where the blue wave curls; 
The broad and fertile plain, where lowing herds 
Roam o'er the verdant fields ; the winding stream 
That bears upon its bosom's heaving swell 
The bending sail and dipping oar ; the lake 
With crystal depths that mirror cottage wall 
And castle tower, o'er the quiet gleam ; 
The wildwood grot, and cascade-sounding gorge 
That sleep beneath the mountain's snow-clad peak. 
He spoke of mighty nations, cities grand, 
Of armies strong and navies vast. He said 
The white men now were planting colonies 
Along the Indian's coast, from northern snows 
To where the sun, from highest heaven beams. 
At length we parted. Sadness clothed my brow ; 
Yet when I learned that Rolf was coming here. 
That I might gaze once more upon his face, 
So dear to me, all sorrow passed away, 
And cheery sunbeams seemed to shed once more 
Within my heart, its long accustomed joys. 
I long to see him here, among our tribes, 
Powhattan's honored guest, his daughter's friend: 
Aye, more, I fain would be his heart's best love. 
No Indian youth, however f\iir and brave, 
Can rouse such burning flames of chani^eless love 
As Rolf has kindled in my heaving breast. 
I long to see true friendship flourish here 
Between our hunter braves and England's sons. 
I love the white man's race ; have loved it since 



08 



I saw the captive Smith led here to die, 

And more acquaintance but confirms my love. 

0, mother! would that you and I could teach 

Our chiefs to rule by arts of happy peace, 

To seek the war-path's bloody trail no more, 

To raise no more against the white man's race 

The cruel tomahawk and ruthless spear. 

I hate the war dance round the blazing fire, 

The warrior's mingled paints and nodding plumes, 

The battle's fearful cry and bloody fray, 

The ghastly scalp and horrid captive's stake. 

A war for self-defense is right and just; 

Our duty bids us guard our sacred rights. 

Our freedom, homes, and lives; but all our wars 

Are wars of bloody feuds, that nothing bring 

Save sorrow, death and war. Our chiefs have sought 

To drive the white men from our spacious shores; 

But why should this be done ? the land is wide ; 

There's room enough for all, and room to spare. 

They pay us for our land, our corn, our fur, 

And when they fight us with their dreadful arms. 

They only fight and strive in self-defense. 

They hold to us the blooming branch of peace, 

Which, if replanted, soon would give us rest 

Beneath its stately boughs and verdant leaves. 

In peace they're worthy friends, who'll do us good ; 

In war, a foe invincible and dread." 

" My daughter," said the queen, Apamatuck, 

" 'Tis passing strange that you should love so much 

The youthful Rolf; yet love him, if you will ; 

Perhaps 'twill be the bond of friendly peace ; 

For war and strife I hate as much as thou. 



94 



My voice shall ever be with thine for peace. 

Now, children, seek your rest; the moon is high 

In yonder sky, the fire is smoldering low, 

And Weeng scatters sleepy odors wide 

Upon the calm and dusky evening air." 

Sweet Pocahontas slept. The fairy elves 

Danced gaily round her brow, so pure and calm, 

And led her fancy through the silvan bowers, 

And rainbow-tinted fields of dreamland's birth. 

They led her where the cascade poured its foam 

Upon the broken rocks and crystal sands. 

And murmured soft its silver-fluted tones 

That soothed the crane upon his 'customed rock. 

Within the quiet, glassy stream below. 

The bees were humming through the Indian pinks 

And eglantines, while thrushes chirped and sang 

Amid the rich festoons the elms flung forth 

To catch the zephyr's waning breath. The rocks 

That walled around the rural court were green 

With tufted moss, and twined with woodbine wreaths. 

Far o'er the overhanging cliff was seen 

The narrowed blue of heaven's arching dome, 

And traced by one bald eagle mounting high. 

Her pale-faced lover by her side breathed words 

More sweet by far than all the melting tones 

That bubbling waters ring — the words of love. 

Then changed the happy scene. The laden ship 

Lay close along the sandy shore ; a throng 

Of mingled friends, of red and white, stood by 

To bid a long adieu ; the sails were spread, 

The prow was turned ; the ship, with swelling sail, 

Was sweeping o'er the dark blue ocean wave. 



96 



The fairies fled. The dream soon passed away, 
But fair Aurora, chasing Night afar, 
Looked down upon the sleeping maid, and saw 
A happy smile imprinted on her cheek. 



PART VI. 



'Twas night, and darkness deep had shrouded then 

The dim-lit cots in Jamestown's new-built walls. 

The day had brought the long-expected ship 

From England's well-remembered shore; the eve 

Had brought to many a yearning heart good news 

From o'er th' Atlantic's wave — sweet words of love, 

Of radiant hope and cheering sympathy, 

Of home prosperity and plenteous store. 

To some, perchance, sad news had to blanch 

The ruddy cheek, and heave the swelling breast. 

Yet such is life, no day so bright but clouds 

May dim the azure sky, and hide the sun ; 

The tears of sadness soil the cheek just wreathed 

With happy smiles ; the heart that bounds with joy 

Soon droops with sorrow's dull and heavy weight. 

Young Rolf sat musing in his silent room ; 

Two open letters lay before his eyes ; 

The one had brought kind words from each dear heart 

That gathered round the old paternal hearth ; 

The other, from a trusted friend, recalled 

The past, and quenched the last fiint gleam of hope 

Still ling'ring deep within his heart, that May, 



9'6 



The loved of days gone by, the idol throned 

Within his faithful heart, should e'er relent. 

He now was living o'er the past again. 

Alike some vivid dream of mingled joy 

And sorrow glancing through the sleeping brain. 

The spirits of the past, in faded robes. 

With faint and drooping eyes, before him passed ; 

A dream, alas ! too true, and full of pain. 

He saw again that fair and lovely form. 

That sparkling eye and cheek, all gay with smiles 

That won his youthful love, and led spell-bound 

His captive heart, through bright, enchanted worlds, 

He saw her just as when they first had met, 

And felt anew the heart's deep thrill ; he glanced 

Along the course of fleeting years, and saw 

Her smile gleam forth, as in the days of old, 

And heard her silver voice in tones of love, 

With murm'ring music ling'ring soft and sweet 

Re-echo through the chambers of the soul. 

He wooed her o'er again, yet often met 

A cold return for loving words and deeds ; 

Then, ere love's labor seemed entirely lost. 

Kind words recalled him back to woo again, 

Until the maiden won, returned each glance 

Affection gave, and answered words of love 

With words of love, and then with gushing hearts, 

Too full for speech, with burning kisses pledge 

True love and faith of hearts in union blent ; 

'Twas but the morning sunbeam glowing bright 

Athwart the van of dark, tempestuous clouds — 

The army's bright array of nodding plumes 

Before the field is strewn with ruined wrecks. 



97 



Ere one short year had ceased to weave the woof 

Of life with rainbow tints of blissful love, 

The brightest dream of life had fled ; a cloud 

Was on his pathway, looming dark and drear, 

And he was now a thousand leagues away 

From scenes of hapless love and blasted hope. 

Rolf rose, and from a little casket took 

Some letters, long preserved with care, that May 

Had written when her heart was warm with love, 

And read again those sweet and precious words 

That once had thrilled his heart with blissful joy. 

He read once more the fjital note that broke 

The magic spell, and made the world so dark ; 

Then crushing angrily the letter, said : 

" 0, May ! how cruel hast thou grown to me ! 

How could'st thou tear *away the vision fair ; 

Break up the sweet, illusive dream that charmed 

My life? 0, say ! hast thou forgotten scenes 

Deep graven on the heart, where two fond youths. 

In cottage hall, or sylvan bowers, breathed 

Sweet words of love, and vowed undying faith? 

Was thy affection for me only feigned, 

Or did'st thou truly love, as oft thou said'st? 

How can I give thee up, for thou hast been 

The light that gleamed so bright upon my path. 

! would that thou had'st known me better — known 

Me as I was — for then thou would'st have wronged 

Me never as thou hast. But why recall 

The dreams of early love and radiant hope ? 

I'll tear her image from my heart, and throne 

Another there. But why this wrathful boast? 

I've crossed the ocean's rolling deep in vain. 



98 



And here within this lonely gloom I sit 
And muse, as on fair Albion's sea-girt isle. 
Perhaps the flames can lend me useful aid. 
There go those oft-read lines; yet aches my heart 
To see them crisp in red and glaring flames, 
And melt it readless heaps of ashy dust. 
Alas, they're gone, but fallen on the hearth, 
Behold a folded paper lie. Those lines 
I'll read ; my hands have traced them long ago. 

0, haste and rise, my thoughts, and leave the earth, 
With all its gloom and shadows, dark and drear, 

And seek for lasting joys of heavenly birth, 
Where sorrow never brings the rising tear. 

I once was gay, and hope, with radiant beams, 

Sat cheerily upon my youthful brow, 
And love's sweet music, with its fairy dreams, 

Had filled i4iy heart; 'tis gone — I'm lonely now. 

O ! is it right to break the loving heart — 

To crush each hope so fondly cherished there ? 

Ought you, who taught me love, to thrust the dart 
That wounds so deep, nor heed the rising prayer ? 

'Tis past and gone, with all the happy hours 
We spent, e'er since the well-remembered time. 

When, leaning on my breast, the heavenly powers 
Beheld you pledge yourself forever mine. 

Pale melancholy sits upon my brow. 

And spread's her gloomy pall before my sight; 



99 



With clouds both dark and drear, obscuring now ; 
She binds my restless soul in darkest night. 

Farewell ; farewell forever, dearest one ; 

I dare not look upon thy lovely eye : 
The fatal word is said — the deed is done 

Which bids me from thy presence ever fly. 

Arise, ye bounding winds, that leap and swell 
Along old ocean's dark and foamy wave, 

And bear me where the Indian nation's dwell. 
Beneath the glowing sunset's bright concave. 

Let scenes of wild and strange adventure, sought 
Within a land beyond the misty main, 

Chase far away each sad and gloomy thought, 
And crown my heart with rosy hope again. 

Adieu, ye fertile vales and shady bowers — 

Ye woodland glens, where silver waters foam — 

Ye cottage walls, entwined with blushing flowers; 
A distant land shall be my lethian home. 

There blaze, ye flames, with brighter glow, and burn 

The last memento of my hapless love. 

But why repine ? Did I not once behold, 

In wildwood bower, by moonbeam's gentle light, 

A maiden, fairer far than nymph or naiad, 

Whose tender heart impelled through the gloom 

That starry night had brought, to save our lives. 

In happy dreams I oft have seen her face. 

And now 'tis scarce three hours since here she came 



100 

And smiled on me, and with me wandered far 
Along the river's strand, and deigned to hear 
Me tell of England and her worthy sons, 
And told me, in return, of leafy groves 
And flowing vales, of sparkling brooks and lakes, 
Where glide the birch canoe ; of gushing founts, 
Where speckled trout leap through the snowy foam ; 
Of forest, plain and mountain glen, where range 
The hunters of her father's wide-spread realm. 
I'll 'throne her image in my heart, and seek 
Her love, her hand. There is no brighter eye, 
No fairer brow than her's; and though her birth 
Was where the flowers deck the trees, entwined, 
And scent the plain, unfurrowed by the plow, 
Afar from all the glit'ring world of show. 
Afar from haughty pride and foolish strife, 
Her native grace is more than culture gives 
Or fashion forms ; but, best of Heaven's gifts, 
Her loving heart, is like the plenteous well 
That gushes ever, with its cooling streams, 
To bless mankind ; or like the fruitful vine. 
That screens the wearied form from summer suns, 
And strengthens with its fruit the famished soul. 
Sweet Pocahontas ! would that I might win 
Thy love, deserve thy faith, and gain thy hand. 
The die is cast — the Rubicon is crossed — 
Henceforth a page unread within the book 
Of love, shall be my new and hopeful task." 



101 



PART YII. 

Another day's bright sun was gleaming bright 

Far o'er the sturdy trees and vine-clad hills, 

That kept their quiet watch, by night and day, 

Above Powhattan's calm and placid stream. 

Keekaughtan, clad in garments, em'rald tinged. 

Sat gayly wreathed, with sun-gilt smiles ; the bloom 

Of Acomac grew bright and brighter still ; 

The berries, crimson, blue, and purple, gleamed 

In woody Acohanuock's fruitful groves : 

Mondamin's locks, within Pamunkey's fields, 

Were bright and red, beneath its cheerful glow. 

With step as lithe as bounding fawn, and heart 

As gleeful as the lark, that mounts aloft. 

While dewdrops glitter in their crystal cups. 

To greet in tuneful song the morning sun, 

Young Kolf was on the winding trail that led 

Where King Powhattan held his sylvan court. 

Perhaps a thought of last night's musings sad, 

O'er love-dreams sweet, yet faded long ago. 

Glanced through his mind, and dimmed his flashing eye 

Yet it was but the white and downy cloud. 

The rainless fleck, that for a moment dims. 

Still on, through fairy woodland scenes he passed, 

Heeding not bower's tempting sweet repose — 

The flower's bloom but gained his hurried glance ; 

Scarce heard he music's sweet, entrancing swell, 

llesounding midst the cheerful groves and glens. 

His thoughts were of the lovely Indian girl, 

Whose presence cast a charm around his heart. 



102 



And changed the tenor of his storm-tossed life — 

AVhose words renewed the withered buds of hope, 

And stirred within his soul the slumbering flame 

That once so bright upon love's altar glowed. 

Beneath a verdant arch, of grand old elms. 

Yelling the pebbly stream, that murmured by, 

From heaven's glowing fount of light he saw 

A fairy form descending 'long the forest aisle. 

With airy steps, to meet him on the way. 

With hand extended, Pocahontas said : 

" With heartfelt joy I hail this happy -hour ; 

I knew the road was long, and thought perhaps 

You might be lonesome on this wildwood trail, 

And might receive, perchance with pleasant mien, 

My aid to guide you through these tangled wilds, 

Until we gain my father's distant home. 

I feared that danger, too, from lurking foe, 

Or some mistaken friend, might hover nigh." 

" Sweet maid ! I thank thee for thy kind regard," 

Said Kolf " Thou art an angel, ever bent 

On deeds of mercy. Yes, the past recalls 

Those scenes that prove the goodness of thy heart. 

Heaven reward thee. W ould that I could show, 

By some return, the gratitude and love 

I feel for thee, dear one, within my heart.'' 

" Thy heart's affection,", said the Indian girl, 

"Is more than I dare hope ; yet, true! 'tis sweet 

To think of such return, though undeserved." 

Conversing e'en as lovers fain converse ; 

With hand in hand, they passed along their route. 

Forgetful, in the present blissful hour, 

Of past and future, till, at length, they reached 



103 

Powhattan's Werrowocomoco home. 

With royal grace the Indian king receives 

His daughter's guest, and listens while the youth 

Eepeats the message Captain Smith had sent, 

To strengthen bonds of peace and amity : 

Then gives him leave to go and come, and dwell, 

Where'er he pleased, among the Indian tribes 

Who live beneath his wide-extended sway. 

Sweet Pocahontas, artless in her love, 

With winning looks, draws Rolf among her friends, 

Where banquet, sons; and dance his coming wait. 

Her mother, Queen Apamatuck, herself 

With bounteous hand prepared the rich repast. 

And smiles approving on the merry throng. 

With song and dance and rambling walks thay pass 

The happy hours, till sunset throws afar 

His parting rays, and with a lingering kiss 

Upon each mountain crest and purple cloud 

Bids land and stream and azure sky good night. 

By Luna's gentle beam the lovers stray 

Along the glassy stream, and seat themselves 

Within the light canoe, that waits to bear 

Its precious burden o'er the limpid wave. 

The night wafe calm ; from out of heaven's depths 

The twinkling stars were looking down to earth. 

As if to note the varied deeds of men ; 

The nighthawks' buzz had ceased ; the whippowil's 

Lone song had died away ; the solemn owl, 

Forgetful of his vocal powers, bent 

Himself in sleep, and all was silent save 

The chirping notes of busy katydids. 

And silv'ry chime of ebbing waves, that broke 



104 



Far down below, along the sandy shore. 
The paddle dipped within the mirrored wave ; 
The light canoe bore Siifely o'er the flood 
The happy pair. They sped the swift canoe 
Far up the stream ; then, with the current's ebb, 
Adown the gliding waters floated on. 
Then, pressing to his lips the maiden's hand, 
Rolf gazed within her dark and lustrous eyes. 
Saying : " 0, would that you and I might thus 
Adown life's stream so calmly, sweetly float!" 
" It may be so," the Indian maiden said. 
"With thee the course of life to me would seem 
A sweet and happy dream — too sweet, I fear, 
To ever thrill my poor, uncultured heart." 
"Fear not," said Rolf, " 'Tis in thy power to dream 
This dream. My heart is thine, forever thine ; 
Then wilt thou love me in return — be mine. 
Through all the changing years of life, and make 
My God thy God?" The answer, soft and sweet, 
Yet earnest, mingled with the chiming sounds 
Of wavelets breaking on the shore — "I will." 



PART yiii. 



Young Rolf and Captain Smith had crossed the deep. 
To greet once more old England's distant strand. 
Virginia's shore again had felt the wrath 
Of war, brought on by bad and foolish men. 
The young and gentle Pocahontas, sent 
Far from the rage of war, delivered up 



By Jappazaws, was now a hostage held 
111 Jamestown. Rolf, with anxious haste, returned. 
Fair Albion's isle, with all its lovely scenes, 
And childhood's unforgotten ties, had lost their power 
To bind his youthful feet. Virginia's hills 
And forest bowers, her bright and shining shores, 
Her silver lakes, and proudly rolling streams. 
Her clear, blue skies, and pure, refreshing air. 
Had charms for him no other land could boast; 
Yet, neither land, nor stream, nor air, or sky, 
Had been so sweet, but 'twas the wild-wood home 
Where dwelt the fairy form his heart held dear. 
With strange surprise and joyful hearts they met. 
Rolf heard the captive's tale, and, answering, breathed 
Soft words of hope, and love, and future joy. 
The lazy hours, that ere his coming seemed 
To drag so slowly by, with cheerful words 
He whiled away. With gentle mood and mien 
He taught the maid to con the printed page — 
To cull the richest gems of modern thought, 
And taste th' inspiring sweets of ancient lore. 
He told her how the blessed Saviour came 
From heav'n to earth, to bless mankind, and save 
From death and fearful doom a fallen world ; 
That when the world was young, a bright array 
Of prophets, bards and holy men, foretold 
Emmanuel's humble birth and lowly life, 
His shameful death, his triumph o'er the grave, 
And glorious ascent to the heav'nly sphere. 
E'en as the prophets spake, on earth he came. 
And lived a spotless life. He blessed the poor; 
10 



106 



He healed the sick, he wept with those who wept, 
Rejoiced with those rejoicing — raised the dead. 
And spent his earthly life in doing good. 
Where'er he was — upon the mountain's brow, 
Or village-dotted plain, by wave-washed strand, 
Or gently-winding stream, amidst the spray, 
Storm-lashed, or wild and surging throngs of men. 
In quiet grove, or gorgeous temple courts — 
He taught, by word and deed, the law of love. 
The world received him not, because it loved 
The sinful ways of death. On Calvary's mount, 
With thieves, it crucified the sinless one. 
He conquered death, and rose in mighty power; 
His work was done — the Paschal Lamb had bled. 
The world stood forth, redeemed and disenthralled. 
Before a wandering throng of Judah's sons 
He mounted through the air and disappeared 
Among the sun -gilt clouds that spanned the sky ; 
And now he sits on heaven's lofty throne. 
On the right hand of majesty and power, 
To intercede with God for all mankind. 
The captive girl with joy received the truth, 
And learned to love and trust the Christian's God. 
Powhattan, for his daughter's sake, recalled 
His warlike bands, and bade his dusky tribes 
Lay down the bloody spear and battle-ax. 
And seek no more the warrior's bloody trail. 
Thus swiftly passed the years, revolving round. 
Bright Summer, with her verdant woods and plains; 
Rich Autumn, with his many-tinted groves 
And golden fruits; stern Winter, with his train 



10' 



Of blustering winds unci snowy-trooping clouds, 

Had passed, and gentle Spring, with birds and flov/ers, 

Had com3 again, to cheer the waking earth. 

A bridal pair was standing on the shore; 

Around them Indian chiefs, with waving plumes 

Down nodding o'er their lordly brows, and men 

Of England's isle, were thronged to press the hand 

And give the parting word. A gallant ship, 

Pi;epared to brave the Atlantic's restless deeps, 

Lay proudly swinging on the heaving tide. 

Young Rolf, with Pocahontas, now his bride, 

Amid the farewell blessings of the throng, 

Stepped on the floating deck. The sails were spread, 

The anchor weighed, and with the springing breeze 

The gliding ship passed o'er the sunlit main. 

THE FAREWELL SONG OF POCAHONTAS. 

Farewell my sweet, my native land ! 
I seek, beyond the deep, a strand, 

Where dwell the nations pale; 
A land I love, though yet unseen, 
A land where red men hath not been, 

A land of hill and dale. 

Ye dusky tribes, ye red men brave, 
My father's home, my mother's grave, 

My youthful playmates, too; 
Ye painted chiefs and aged sires. 
Ye warlike songs and council fires, 

I bid you all adieu. 



108 

Farewell ye forest trees, that bencl 
Where limpid streams in music blend 

Their notes with hum of bees ; 
Ye flowers bright, and vines that cling, 
Beneath the cheering sky of spring, 

Amid the verdant trees. 

Farewell ye birds of warbling song, 
And ye that on the waters throng — 

Ye spotted fawns that play 
In thicket dense, or groves of green; 
Ye fish that glow in silver sheen, 

Where chimes the foamy spray ; 

Ye purling streams and lakelets bright, 
Ye soaring founts of cascades white. 

Where waters plunge and swell ; 
Ye mountain hights and rocky shores, 
Where oft the swelling ocean roars, 

I bid you all farewell. 

Then bear me on, thou restless deep. 
By wafting winds, propitious, sweep 

To far-famed England's isle, 
Where cities vast, and towers tall, 
With fortress firm, and cottage hall, 

In pleasing beauty shine. 



109 



DEATH. 

'Twas night. The sapphire stars and silver moon 
Withdrew their beams of soft and g-ushino; lio-ht, 
While dark and fearful clouds the sky o'ercast, 
And added gloom and storm to darker night. 
The lightnings burst with wild and glaring flame, 
While in the thicker night, that swallowed quick 
The transient glare, the roaring thunders shook 
The trembling air, till down the shattered heaven 
Threatened to fall, with ruin vast, and crush 
The helpless earth, and back to chaos change 
The world rotund, with all its busy throngs. 
A troubled, dreamy sleep oppressed my soul, 
And oft the howling storm without aroused 
My feeble sense ; then back I quickly sank 
Within the arms of deep, oppressive sleep. 
A vision strange came o'er my 'wildered mind : 
The lightning's vivid glare stood bright in heaven, 
And faded not; the clouds were brightly tinged 
AVith gold and purple hues, surpassing far 
The setting sun's resplendent beams, while down 
From heaven's portals, bright with gushing floods 
Of crystal light, a cherub, white as snow. 
With wings of form divine, and eyes that shone 
As diamond stars that deck the vaulted sky, 
Swift came to earth, with rushing chariot wheels, 
By flaming horses drawn, and near me stood. 
With voice benign, and face of kindly mien. 
That beamed all heavenly bright, addressed me thus 
(), mortal man ! ascend this shining seat. 



110 



And ride with me, on car angelic formed, 

Througli realms of ether bright, above the earth, 

That wheels its circling course in vast ellipse, 

Around the blazing orb of day, and share 

With me the sight of vision strange, unseen 

As yet by man. Xipon this chariot, wrought in heaven, 

And drawn by fiery steeds, celestial born. 

Both Enoch, famed for righteousness in days 

Of old, and seer, Elijah named, who smote 

Deep Jordan's rapid flood, and backward rolled 

Its rushing waves, until he safely passed 

Across its rocky deeps, to Heaven went. 

Encouraged by his speech, I quickly sprang 

Upon the glittering seat ; then w^hirled aloft, 

We rode on high. Still on and on we passed. 

The vision changed. With morning's ruddy glow 

The sun was beaming bright. Before me lay,. 

In brightest green, a fair and lovely vale, 

With fertile fields and sloping lawns, while groves. 

Luxuriant, grew along the winding streams. 

Upon our right the dark blue ocean rolled 

Its heaving surge far o'er the boundless deep, 

And whitened far with many a gleaming sail, 

Or beaten white with many a plunging wheel. 

Upon our left the lofty mountain peaks. 

Thick interspersed with gorges wild and deep. 

With roaring waterfalls and forest dark. 

Stretched far, and lost themselves in distance dim. 

Upon a lofty hight which overlooked 

The plain, the shining chariot stayed its course. 

With more than human power, I saw the earth 

Spread far and wide, around my station high, 



Ill 



Instinct and gay with teeming life ; the stream 
That swept along, with man}^ a gleaming curve, 
Beneath the shade of overhanging trees ; 
The gushing fount, the lake, embosomed round 
"With sylvan hights, or meadows green and fair ; 
The ocean's swelling tide, where storm-winds dwell, 
And drive their raging steeds along the deep. 
Unnumbered forms of life were swarming thick — 
A multitude untold, of large or small. 
From zoophyte to whale, that lashes wide 
The foaming sea beneath his flukes immense : 
Bright wings innum'rous beat the atmosphere 
That sweeps from pole to pole. Within its deeps 
The shining insects danced in myriad swarms, 
And birds of thousand hues, of thousand kinds. 
From hum.ming bird, that sips the honey'd sweets 
From every vernal flower that op'ning smiles 
To greet the rising sun, to condors huge. 
That bathe their wings within that cloudless realm 
Of ether rare, above the thunder's home. 
Spread wide their pinions on the rustling breeze, 
Or in mid heaven whirled their fearless flight. 
The firm and solid earth, in wood or cave, 
On mountain crag, or verdant plain, was thronged 
With joyous life; the prowling beast of prey, 
The serpent hissing through the jungles wild ; 
The antlered herd, the flying hoofs that spurn 
The grassy plain, and lab'ring man, that rears 
Aloft the glit'ring dome, the painted spire, 
The solid wall and bastioned tower, and spanned 
The rolling tide, with arches grand, and drives 
His fi'ry car along its iron way. 



112 



I looked upon the happy scene spread out 
Before my raptured sight, and wondered much, 
So blest a realm it seemed : but, lo ! i'ar off 
In mountain gorge, from yawning caverns deep, 
I saw forth issuing beings, made in form 
Most dread; a horrid, ghastly legion fierce, 
Of loathsome fiends, of numbers yet untold, 
Of ev'ry shape conceived, or unconceived. 
In fancy's wildest dreams or loftiest flight, 
Deep awe-inspiring shapes, prepared alike 
To fly, or walk, or swim, to scale the towers 
Of highest build, to pierce the darkest shrine, 
To gain the farthest shore, to mount the sky 
On swift and tireless pinion, and explore 
The inmost deep of sea's unfathomed depths, 
Before whose breath the quaking earth recoiled, 
And nature sighed through all her vast domain. 
" 0, Cherub !" spake I then, " immortal form ! 
What means this dread array, this mighty host, 
Of every terror known, and onward led 
By yonder pale and dreadful form, fierce armed 
With flaming two-edged sword, and shaking oft 
His cruel dart, where'er he deigns to turn 
His pale yet fi'ry steed? 0, Cherub ! tell 
From whence he came, and whither now he tends, 
And what his hist'ry yet may be?" Then spake 
My angel guide : "That ghastly form that rides 
The pale, yet fi'ry steed, is Temp'ral Death. 
Those following near, his ministers, a throng 
Increasing with increasing time. The chief 
Is Death, of years unnumbered and immense. 
In ancient time, when life first feebly dawned. 



113 

And earth was youDg, he came. He smote the fern, 

It withered 'neath his touch ; the seaweed felt 

His crushing hand, and soon returned to dust. 

Still Life restored, with unremitting toil, 

The living forms of earth. Still onward passed 

Unheeded time. With living green the hills 

Were crowned, and sentient life began to move 

On earth ; then Death increased his power. He seized 

The tinted flower, the quiv'ring leaf, the reed 

That bends it to the gale, the waving tree : 

They sank to rise no more ; his biting breath 

The insects felt, and furled their wings in death. 

The zoophytes, that bloom as living flowers 

On coral strands beneath the briny wave. 

The strong moUusks deep in ocean's slime. 

The ammonite and terebratula, 

The scaly monsters, sporting on the deep. 

The savage shark and huge leviathan, 

The mosasaurus and iguanodon, 

With all the reptile tribes of saurian form, 

Succumbed beneath his dart's resistless stroke. 

The mastodon and megatherium. 

The glyptodon and dinotherium, 

That roamed the verdant fields, or forest? dark, 

AVith pterodactyl, strangely formed to glide 

The swelling wave, to thread the swampy maze. 

Or climb the rocky cliff, or mount aloft 

On wings sublime, no refuge found on earth ; 

But, groaning, sank beneath his ruthlsss sword. 

Throu2;h all the chanoes written in the book 

Of time, untiring, ceaseless Death has warred 

With Life, and threw wide o'er this mundane sphere 



114 



His gloomy shade, and when omnific God, 

In fearful ruin east the olden world, 

And by his potent arm restored the earth. 

With brilliant glory crowned, prepared for man — 

A being mortal, and immortal formed — 

Immortal essence breathed in mortal mold, 

To crown the topmost scale of sentient life, 

Then Death resumed his willing task on earth. 

Behold him now, how wild his fury bursts ; 

How numerous is his train, what fearful forms 

Around him cling, to catch his every word, 

And then perform the deadly deed he wills. 

I looked and saw the hosts of Death, and marked 

Their varied forms and deeds. Intemperance first 

I marked, who seemed the mightiest fiend that marched 

Beneath the sable flag of Death. His form 

Was like a serpent huge, whose ample folds 

Extended many a flithom on the plain ; 

Then upward high he raised his glit'ring crest, 

And gazed with fiery eyes upon his pray. 

His pois'nous breath was like Sirocco's blast. 

That fiercely sweeps from Afric's burning sands, 

And desolates the distant shore with death ; 

His filthy slime, polluted far and wide 

The flow'ry vale while hissing serpents shot, 

7^ younger throng, athwart their parent's path. 

His form he changed whene'er he pleased, and, robed 

In beauty's garb, deceived with cunning wiles. 

The victim once within his power placed, 

His snaky form returned, and then he crushed, 

In fury wild, his weak and helpless prey. 

Upon a blood-stained horse came cruel War, 



115 



Of kniglitly form and mien, with nodding plume. 

That waved above his high and glancing helm — 

With burnished shield, that gleamed with fiery glare, 

With bloody blade, that flashed in horrid curves 

Above his frightful head ; and with him came 

A squadron deep, of many a fierce recruit. 

Then came Consumption's pale and ghastly form, 

A meatless skeleton, with sunken eyes 

And bony fingers, lean and lank, that moved 

With noiseless tread, and laid its fatal hand 

Upon the victim unaware. Then Fevers came — 

A motley throng of wolfish shapes, with hot 

And parching breath, and burning throats, with thirst 

Unquenched, though washed by never-failing streams 

Of life. Then Ague came, with trembling steps, 

With chill and icy breath. Like aged man. 

His form was bent, and dim his downcast eye. 

Then came, with roaring sweep of dragon wing. 

And casting wide its blighting shadows dark, 

Dread Cholera. Then troops of other plagues 

Spread forth their raven wings along the sky, 

And interposed, between the living world 

And beaming source of life, their baneful shade. 

Then came Dyspepsia, Grout, and Coughs and Colds, 

With Cancers, Scrofula and Leprosy, 

With mighty legions of diseases named, 

Or yet unnamed, so great their number seemed. 

I ceased to mark their numerous forms, and gazed 

Upon a form of diff"erent mold — beast 

Of lion shape, with iron teeth and feet, 

To tear, and crush, and stamp, and bruise and kill 

Whatever lived on earth, or sea, or sky. 



116 



His name was Violence. Next came the Winds 

And Storms, down stooping from tlieir dizzy higlits, 

With roaring sound, and rushed along the sky 

With cloud and gloom, and rain and thunder's crash. 

The Hoary Frost, his chilling power revealed, 

And Poison dragged his lizard length along. 

Next Fire came, in hungry tiger's shape ; 

Then Famine showed a lean, repulsive face, 

Of human form, and Crime, in garments vile, 

Swift searched through many a devious, winding way. 

And culled his victims oft, from fairest fold ; 

And, last of all, behind a numerous crowd 

Unnamed, came Age, slow, tottering 'long, with staff 

In hand, and murmuring oft, his victims scarce, 

Though power immense to slay, was in his hand. 

I saw the hosts of Death's destructive rage. 

The storm fiend, clad in dark and sweeping clouds, 

With whirlwind's rage, rushed o'er the boist'rous deep : 

Then rolled the swelling waves on high, and burst 

With troubled roar against the hollowed rocks 

That curb the restless deep, and seamen cried 

To God for aid, when Death was on the sea. 

And when the storm had ceased its furious wrath, 

Full many a drowned corpse along the shore 

Its mighty power proclaimed. With poisonous breath 

Plagues traveled o'er the earth. Where'er they came, 

In fearful torture groaning victims lay; 

Nor deep enough was grave or tomb to hold 

The dead. The living wildly fled their homes. 

And shunned the sight of man, as scipcnfc vile. 

Dead bodies lay in splendid palace hall. 

In cottage damp, along the stony street. 



117 

And flow'ry garden walks. The sexton sank 

In grave himself had dug ; the mitered priest 

xlnd humble penitent together fell 

By altar's shrines, the slave and master slept 

The sleep of death within the same deep pit, 

Prepared for high or low, for bond or free. 

The bonds of life were sunder burst, and friends 

Of dearest ties were thrust apart to meet 

No more. The grass grew rank where once the walks 

Were thronged with busy feet. The fox was heard 

Amid the shocks, unclaimed; the raven perched, 

Unharmed, upon the steeple's gilded cross. 

Or fed his young with human flesh ; the do^-s. 

In howling troops, their masters sought in vain. 

All commerce ceased, and gold became as trash, 

And silence reigned through all the dreary waste. 

Oft Famine wrought vast ruin on earth, and War 

Encumbered oft the bloody plain with dead; 

Where'er he reined his bloody steed, were seen 

Embattled legions bent on bloody prey. 

The rolling drums and banners gay unfurled, 

To catch the springing breeze, the waving plumes, 

The helmets bright, the flashing arms, the steeds 

In richest trappings dressed, and prancing proud, 

In haste to snuff the battle from afar. 

Were seen to promise glory, fame, renown 

Or station grand, to brave and gallant souls. 

To lure the nations on to deeds of blood, 

Upon the gory plains of cruel strife, 

And steel the heart to widows' lonely sigh, 

Or helpless orphans' tear. Intemperance, 

The direst foe of man, and chosen friend 



118 



Of Death, spread ruin sad and dark despair 

Along his fatal path. He crushed the soul 

As well as mortal frame. His victims fell 

Not down with sudden pang ; but, poisoned 

By his envenomed fang, and deep defiled, 

Died first in soul to good, then downward sank 

In dark, dishonored grave. Where'er he went 

Came sighs, and tears, and groans, and cursings foul, 

With shame, and want, and crime, and horrid death. 

Death's minions went through ail the world of life. 

I saw the strong man fall and rise no more. 

The blooming maiden droop, the infant close 

Its laughing eyes in wakeless sleep, the fierce 

And mighty beast, the insect weak, the whale. 

Of hugest bulk that swims the ocean brine, 

And bird, that wings his chosen way aloft 

Through heaven's blue, soon perished 'neath the stroke 

Of Death. The bending grass, the tinted flower, 

The quiv'ring leaf, the firm and branching oak 

And waving pine, to moldering dust returned. 

Amazement seized my soul, and shudders shook 

My body when I saw the works of Death ; 

And then I spake: "0, Cherub, heavenly form. 

Celestial guide, sent down from happy realms 

Where Death comes not, why reigns this cruel foe 

Among the earthly works of God?" Then spake 

The ano;el brisrht, and said : " 'Tis not for man 

To know the mighty plans of ({od, or read 

The laws that bind the universe, or grasp 

The theory of mind and matter, life 

And death, yet may he know somewhat of earth. 

'Tis well that Death should reio-n ; 'tis but a ehano-e — 



119 



Yet change intended for the good of man. 

Creation came with change, and change must rule 

Or naught had been. The earth and all therein 

Was made for man. The varied seasons came, 

And bring sweet interchange of heat and cold — 

Of blooming spring and summer's grain, and fruit 

Of autumn's yield, and winter's piercing blast — 

While living beings live and die for man. 

This world is but the starting place — the goal 

Is found beyond this mortal sphere. Death comes — 

Though dread his form — a friend, to loose the band 

That binds to earth. For who would love to stay 

Forever here, upon this sinful earth, 

When heaven waits, with gate§ wide open thrown, 

To take you in where souls immortal bask 

In joys no human heart on earth can know. 

The sting of death is sin. The evil deeds 

Of man have much increased the hosts of Death — 

Have added pangs to ev'ry form he takes. 

He lives scarce half his days, and those in pain. 

For, had he kept his happy primal state, 

Then death, for man, had been a pleasing change. 

To bid farewell to earth, and mount aloft 

To heaven, on wings of swift, angelic flight, 

As Enoch or Elijah joined the host 

That throng the golden streets of paradise. 

Then fear not Death, although his dart may pierce 

Thee soon, but strive to make thy peace with God. 

I'll tell thee whom 'tis meet that you should fear — 

Whose power is vain to harm the righteous man : 

Fear Death eternal, born of hateful sin. 

Who strives to drag the aspiring soul of man 



120 



Down deep perdition's yawning gulf of woe. 
He grasps with cruel hand the sinful heart, 
And seals its sad and mournful doom in night 
That knows no morn. That fearful home of death, 
Those realms of blank despair — the Stygian shade- 
Inclose the wretched victims slain by Death, 
Eternal Death. No joy, or light, or love. 
Or peace, or hope, can ever reach the doomed 
That linger there ; but ever 'during hate. 
And gloom, and howling rage, and forked flames. 
And tortures fierce, and all the fearful wrath 
Of angry Deity. Then fear not Death 
That can but slay your mortal part, but fear 
That death that slays in hell the living soul. 
The part immortal made, and formed to live 
In heaven, and circle 'round Jehovah's throne. 
In bliss that human words can never tell." 
He ceased, and then the vision faded dim ; 
The angel passed like viewless air away. 
And mists obscured all the busy scenes 
That lay before my wondering sight; then sleep, 
On airy pinion fled, and daylight chased 
The flitting shadows dark that haunt the night, 
And love of God dispelled the fears of Death. 



THE MILLER'S GRAVE. 

The miller sleeps beneath the ground 
Where silent stands yon grassy mound. 
He nobly played his part in life, 



121 

Throughout the world's unceasing strife. 
When sorrow marked him for her own, 
Or joy's bright beams around him shone, 
When slander hurled his darts in wrath, 
Or honors strewed his checkered path. 
Unchanged, he bravely stemmed the tide, 
And scorned the world's bewitching pride. 

Above his low and humble grave 

The drooping willows gently wave. 

The leaflets dance in summer's breeze. 

The loud wind rocks the bounding trees, 

That stand around the sylvan spot 

In deep repose — he knows it not. 

Sweet murmurs by the gliding rill 

That long has turned his moss-grown mill; 

Bright shines the cascade's foaming round — 

He hears no morejts joyous sound. 

He calmly sleeps in peaceful rest ; 

No troubles now assail his breast; 

His little bark has gained that shore 

Where storms and tempests come no more. 

So may I sleep when life is fled. 

And all my earthly hopes are dead. 

! give me, then, a quiet tomb 

Where trees may grow and flowers bloom, 

And may I gain that heavenly home 

Beyond the sky's cerulean dome. 



11 



122 



THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH AND ITS FATE. 

Down within the waters living, 

Way down deep, beneath the waters 

Of the ocean's briny surges, 

On the hills, and in the valleys, 

'Mid the mighty coral forests, 

'Neath the rocks, and on the sand bars, 

Covered by the restless billows, 

Dwelt a host of living beings, 

Undisturbed by genus homo, 

Braiding all their lovely tresses, 

Decked with corals, bright and shining, 

Lived a host of pretty mermaids — 

Lived a host of scaly fishes — 

Crawled the green and lazy turtle — 

Meditated, calm and slowly, 

All the bivalves of the ocean, 

And the univalves beside them. 

Loligos, or cuttle-fishes, 

Wond'rous creatures, dyed their mantles. 

Dyed their mantles in their dwellings, 

In the shade of lofty corals. 

Lobsters, with their cloven pincers, 

Reeled along, like lager drinkers, 

Caring little for collisions 

With their fellow seamen. 

Or the winding paths they traveled. 

Shrimps were darting on the sand banks, 

Thinking little of the crab-pots 

Burly fishermen were dragging — 



128 

Thiukino' little of the kettles, 
Boiling kettles, heated for them. 
Slippery, sliding, gliding, squirming 
Eels were dodging hungry codfish. 
Or retreating 'mid the sea-weed, 
Built their little sea-weed wigwams, 
Built of sea-weed wigwams plenty. 
To protect their orphan children, 
Should a gaping gudgeon swallow 
Mister eel, the careful parent. 
Sea snakes kept their locomotives 
Bright and running, on their railroads 
Under ground, or under water. 
Like pappooses, in their birches 
On the western lakes and rivers, 
Nautilus, canoes were paddling. 
Needing log or compass never. 
Thus it was among the nations 
Dwelling in the briny ocean, 
Fol'wing each his avocation. 
Free, was made their constitution. 
Each one lived where'er he wished to, 
Eating that that pleased his palate, 
Trav'ling far, to distant regions. 
Meditating on each custom 
With a philosophic thinking ; 
Learning how they wore their clothing 
Learning how they ate their dinners, 
How they built their cozy parlors. 
How they won their bridal partners, 
How they drank their mingled todys ; 
' Then, returning, told his stories 



124 

To liis uncles, aunts, and cousins. 
For his health, each sick one wandered 
To the healing springs or sea-shore. 
Each one had a jolly living, 
Living as his fathers taught him. 
But a change came o'er their dreaming. 
O'er the spirit of their dreaming, 
For a wond'rous thing had happened, 
Wond'rous to the nether nations. 
Busy, meddling human beings, 
Circumscribing all the freedom, 
All the freedom of the ocean. 
Given to the finny nations 
As their own peculiar dwelling. 
Stretched a magic rope or cable, 
From the distant eastern shores. 
Stretching far across the ocean. 
Stretching to the furthest shores. 
Such a magic cable was it, 
Downward sinking, deeper, deeper. 
To the very bottom sinking. 
Sadly scaring every gudgeon ; 
Interfering with the bivalves 
Meditating on the future, 
Troubling, by its awful sparkling. 
By its shocks, so quick and sudden, 
Ev'ry squirming eel that touched it. 
Tangling with the mermaid's tresses. 
Much obstructing all the railroads 
Snakes or serpents there had builded. 
Clinging to the lobster's rudder, 
Breakiu^Tf out the dental molars 



125 

For the shark and sword fishes. 
Knocking out the ejes, and blinding 
Scaiy monsters without pity. 
Great commotion then resulted ; 
Some seceding, fled to regions 
Far remote ; while others, swearing, 
Vowed they'd never yield their freedom, 
Never suffer such an insult, 
Such a hurtful, talking cable 
Spying out the ocean's secrets, 
Long to live within their waters. 
From the clam, so peaceful, snoozing 
On his soft and slimy pillow, 
To the mighty whale and walrus. 
Each one vowed to pocket never, 
Pocket- never, such an insult 
While the fishes lived by eating. 
Then the lobster took a coral, 
Whittled on it, till it tapered, 
Tapered to a pen, te write with. 
Cuttles gave him ink to write with ; 
Then he wrote a call for meetine:. 
Writing plainly on a clam shell. 
Asking all to come and labor, 
Labor for their country's welfare — 
Have an indignation meeting. 
Rousing all to do their duty. 
Next he signed his 'nomen to it. 
Gave it to the shark, who marked it 
With his seal and signet biting. 
Then they placed it on a coral, 
On a lofty coral mansion, 



126 

At the crossing of their turnpike?. 
Far among the sea-born nations 
Went the famous proclamation, 
Proclamation of the meeting 
To devise the surest method 
Of retaining all their freedom. 
Freedom of the mighty ocean. 
When the bright and glowing Phoebus 
Looked athwart the eastern surges, 
Smiling on the day appointed, 
Hurried then with great commotion, 
All the wondrous tribes of ocean, 
Anxious each to serve his nation ; 
Do some famous deed of power, 
Winning much applause and honor. 
Mister Shark, the mighty monster, 
And the Lobster, cunning creature, . 
Laying heads in close communion, 
Authors of this famous meeting, 
Pre-determined all arrangements, 
Choosing out a thousand fishes — 
Strong and active sword fishes — 
For committees of reception 
To receive each coming stranger. 
Make them swear by every eye-tooth, 
Swear by every precious eye-tooth, 
To abstain from eating, drinking. 
Chewing, swearing »and carousals ; 
Keeping rules and regulations 
Till the meeting gave permission 
To resume their delegated, 
Precious delegated powers. 



127 

When the meeting had assembled, 
Mister Lobster called to order, 
Called to order all the nations. 
Bade them sit in thoughtful silence 
Whilst he spake his words of wisdom. 
! ye gudgeons of the waters, 
Whales and dolphins, sharks and serpents, 
Walrus, and ye lovely mermaids, 
Oysters, clams and warlike turtles, 
Eels, and all ye other dwellers. 
Dwellers in our big sea waters, 
Deign to hear me speak my feelings, 
Speak at this momentous crisis. 
Though fierce thunderbolts from heaven. 
Though the dark and raging storm-winds, 
Oft have shaken all the ocean. 
We have never lost our freedom. 
Nay ! when firy flames were bursting, 
Bursting from the deepest bottoms. 
Bursting through the boiling waters ; 
When the earthquake, upward heaving, 
Piled on high the rockbuilt island, 
Or submerging rocky regions 
Changed our changing world of waters, 
We have still maintained our freedom, 
Freedom of the boundless ocean. 
Yet, unless we rouse us quickly. 
Rise with all our mighty powers, 
Man will seize our native waters, 
Blasting all our hopes of empire. 
See ! yon cursed cable, stretching, 
Stretching far beyond our vision. 



128 

Spying out the ocean's secrets, 

Interfering sadly, sadly 

AVith our daily avocations. 

Should we leave this cable working 

Man would shortly bind each ocean 

With a grievous net of cables. 

We have suffered many sorrows 

From these hungry human monsters, 

Who have feasted on our nations 

From the day of his creation ; 

Sad creation for our races, 

Races of the stormy waters. 

Then let each one vow to labor 

To avenge this grievous insult. 

For this purpose we have gathered 

To devise the means of acting, 

Acting in this glorious meeting. 

Then the Lobster nominated 

Mister Shark as fitting chairman ; 

Then the meeting duly chose him, 

Chose him for their honored chairman. 

Then they chose a secretary ; 

Chose a young and lovely mermaid — 

Then committees were appointed — 

One for drafting resolutions, 

One for planning means of warfare 

'Gainst the hostile, hateful cable. 

Soon the first committee, rising. 

Offered then these resolutions : 

" Whereas man, beside his cruel, 

Cruel war upon our races, 

Now hath stretched a rope or cable, 



129 

Causing fear and trepidation 
'Mongst tlie nations of tlie ocean ; 
Be it then Resolved, in conclave, 
Solemn conclave here assembled, 
That we swear eternal warfare 
'Gainst the works of human beings ; 
Ever guarding all our freedom, 
Freedom which our fathers left us — 
That committee number second. 
Be instructed by this meeting 
To prepare a plan for breaking, 
Breaking up this wondrous cable." 
Then the resolution offered 
"Was debated in the meetina*. 
Orators, with silvery voices, 
Spake with glowing tongue and accent — 
Mister Whale, the mighty spouter. 
Spouted streams of patriotism 
When he told his wrongs and miseries ; 
How his hunted race had suffered. 
Driven from the warm sea-waters, 
Driven 'monoj the frozen iceberg-s. 
In the dark and polar regions ; 
How their oil was burning, wasting 
In a million glowing fires, 
O'er a thousand fertile valleys. 
On a thousand hills and mountains. 
We no more can shed the filial, 
Filial tear of grief and sorrow, 
O'er the tombs our fathers sleep in ; 
For their sacred bones are wearinc;, 

O' 

"Worn and borne as human clothing. 
12 



130 

When his feeling speech was ended, 
Cheering, loud and oft repeated. 
Told how many hearts were beating 
Sympathizing with the speaker. 
Then the resolution offered 
Passed, no single voice dissenting. 
Next, committee number second 
Offered resolutions, stating, 
Stating their opinions fully; 
Saying that their honored chairman 
Should appoint a worthy member. 
One renowned for fearless courage, 
Honest motives and intentions. 
Known to be of boundless wisdom, 
Very vigilant and cunning. 
Persevering in his labors. 
Give him power to summon members, 
Members of this glorious meeting ; 
Making j50sse comitatus 
To assist him in his labors 
To destroy yon hateful cable. 
Let him call a host around him, 
Armed with all our fearful weapons, 
Who may act beneath his orders ; 
Mighty sharks and sword fishes. 
Lengthened snakes and fearless turtles. 
Slippery eels and darting dolphins. 
Bright-eyed seals, or cunning lobsters, 
Or whatever other creatures 
Of the waters he hath need of. 
We believe, with proper efforts, 
Proper systematic efforts, 



131 

That the cable can be sundered 
By the mighty jaws and eye-teeth 
Of our fearless sea-born warriors. 
Soon this happy resolution 
Was adopted, none dissenting ; 
When the honored chairman, rising, 
Spake with graceful mien and manner, 
Eulogizing Mister Lobster ; 
Naming o'er his famous actions. 
Praising all his deeds of wisdom ; 
Then he chose him for a leader. 
Gave him power of choosing members, 
Such as he should deem were needed. 
Mr. Lobster, meekly bowing. 
Undertook the arduous labor. 
Called around a host of spirits. 
Genial spirits of the ocean, 
Full of glowing love for freedom, 
Ready for the fearful contest. 
Mister Lobster marshaled round him, 
Marshaled round him all his forces ; 
Then, with military order, 
Marching close wi-th cautious footsteps, 
Neared the object of their trouble. 
Mr. Lobster gave the order, 
Halt ! until he reconnoitered — 
Fearless then, alas ! he neared it, 
Gazed with fierce contempt upon it, 
Seized it with his pincers fiercely ; 
But, in vain was all his valor, 
Down it dashed him, kicking, scrabbling, 
Stirring up the mud around him. 



132 

Then liis valiant soldiers flickered, 
Flickered to a safer distance ; 
But their leader, Mister Lobster, 
Soon recovered all his ardor. 
Calling back his scattered forces. 
Next he sent the hugest turtle 
Found in all that wat'ry region, 
Bade him bite the cable sunder. 
Mister Turtle, for the welfare. 
Welfare of his native country, 
Hastened where his duty called him, 
(Snapped the cable rudely, rudely; 
But he found himself inverted, 
Quick inverted, ere he knew it, 
With his feet above his backbone. 
Looking greener than he wished to. 
Greener than his 'customed greenness. 
Next the swordfish was summoned. 
Who had boasted of his falchion. 
Falchion feared by all the fishes. 
Then the warriors, back retiring, 
Gave the monster room for battle ; 
Who a moment poising, poising 
On a high and lofty billow, 
Like a thunderbolt from heaven. 
Downward through the limpid waters. 
Shot upon the dreaded cable. 
Harmless glanced aside his weapon, 
Deep within the mud he floundered. 
Sinking down beneath the surface, 
Surface of the ocean's bottom. 
When the muddy waters settled 



133 

Nothing, save the fish's rudder, 

Could be seen above the mortar. 

To rescue their brave companion 

From his strange, yet sad condition, 

Mister Lobster called the serpents — 

Long and lengthy snakes and serpents — 

Bade them wind around the runder — 

Eudder of the buried hero — 

Snake him forth among the fishes. 

This, though quickly done, was useless, 

For they could not even budge him — 

Budge him from his slimy pillow. 

Next, a lengthy serpent winding. 

Took a turn around the swordfish, 

Then a second round a finback — 

Bound a mighty Greenland finback — 

Then they quickly drew him upward ; 

Drew him out amid the waters. 

Drew him out among the fishes. 

When the Lobster saw these failures. 

Cunning plans he thought of quickly, 

Planning strange and better methods. 

Then he called the dolphins round him 

Told them of his cunning purpose ; 

Told them where the bursting tempest. 

Sweeping o'er the rolling billows. 

Lately dashed upon the breakers — 

Dashed a vessel on the breakers. 

Strewing far its broken fragments. 

Speed ye where its hulk is lying, 

Bring its ropes and cables hither. 

Kopes were brought and mermaids tied them. 



134 

Tied them with their pretty fingers — 
Tied them on th' electric cable — 
Then a band of sharks and dolphins 
Seized them with their dental grinders, 
Seized the ropes prepared for dragging, 
Dragged the cable from its moorings ; 
Dragged wher'er the Lobster pointed, 
Dragged it o'er the rocks of granite, 
Placed it on a sharp-edged bowlder. 
Sawed it backward, sawed forward, 
Till they won the glorious battle, 
Till the ruined cable quivered. 
Quivered in its helpless ruins. 
Pealing, ringing, far resounding, 
Through their fair and wat'ry regions, 
Filling all the sea-born nations. 
Filling all with joy and gladness ; 
Shouts of vict'ry, loud and cheering, 
Rent the ocean's stormy billows. 
Thus the finny nations conquered — 
Conquered by their skill and cunning — 
Triumphed o'er the mighty cable, 
Highest work of human beings, 
Conquered ere the cannon's rattle. 
Sounding o'er the hills and valleys. 
Rocking all the airy heaven, 
Celebrating grand achievements — 
Grand achievements of the cable — 
Died upon the distant mountains. 



135 



MY BIRTHDAY. 

It came and went ; it was a day of gloom ; 
The silver frost had nipped the valley's bloom; 
The storm-king, like a raven dark and grim, 
Had swept along the heaven's concave rim, 
And on its airy path had scattered wide 
Dark, dreary clouds plucked from his sullen side. 

It was a sere and dull October's day, 

And sad my heart within my bosom lay; 

My soul went forth to scan each crowding thought 

That gathered in my brain, by fancy brought, 

Or thoughts that paced the aisles of mem'ry's fane, 

To gaze on pictures there of joy and pain. 

Far Northward I had left my happy home, 
And then my heart and I were all alone 
Far from that other heart, that love had giv'n — 
The sweetest, dearest heart this side of heav'n — 
Yea, sweeter far to me than heaven's best. 
Was that fond heart within my darling's breast. 

It was my birthday ; saddest day of all. 
Because it tells how lengthened shadows fall ; 
How fast the fleeting years of life have fled ; 
How short the distance yet to realms of dead, 
And brings before my inward sight the ghost 
Of many a golden hour forever lost. 

In long array the plans and hopes of childhood cam' 
Like airy phantoms seen by feeble flame. 
While brighter still the faded dreams of youth 



136 

Came on like elves, fantastic, strange, uncouth ; 
And with them gliding forms I once had known, 
As friend or foe along my pathway thrown. 

Again, adown life's ebbing stream, I traced 
And watched the eager wavelets as they raced ; 
I viewed each rock that turned its course aside, 
And marked where many a gleaming bubble died ; 
I listened to the songs the cascades sung. 
And saw the shade where weeping willows hung. 

Thus mem'ry drew the wild ideal train 
To pass the open portals of the brain, 
While white and tented fields and armed bands, 
While trundling cannon and war-stricken lands 
On every side, gave future days and years 
A tint of gloom, an atmosphere of tears. 



DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM. 

The sun had kissed with golden light 
The temple's gilded spires bright, 
Then sank with farewell gaze to rest, 
Behind the clouds that deck the west, 
While many a glowing fire shone 
Around the bleeding victims strewn. 
That cumbered walk, and court, and hall, 
Around the temple's shining wall, 
Impending fate and mournful gloom: 
Hung o'er the Jewish nation's tomb. 



137 

Jerusalem was torn and rent 
By num'rous foes in judgment, 
To cleanse lier fearful guilt away, 
And 'close her long and sinful day. 
Seditious wrath and famine dread 
Filled street and house with ghastly dead. 
Unhuried heaps of corpses lay 
In every nook and winding way, 
While Eomans stretched the crucified 
Where once the God-like Saviour died. 
Since first the sun began his march 
Along the sky's cerulean arch, 
His o'ushing light had never shone 
On misery such as here was known, 
Nor never more shall beam again. 
On heaps so great of famished slain. 
The roar of battle now had died, 
And Jews behind the breaches wide. 
Were ranged with fierce and glaring mein. 
With gloomy faces, gaunt and lean. 
With scowling wrath and vengeance dire, 
They silent watched the smold'ring fire. 
And by its glare beheld their foes, 
And cursed their day of fearful woes. 
The wretched Jews now mourn their fate, 
And called to mind, yet now too late. 
How Jesus came from heaven to earth. 
In humble guise and lowly birth, 
And spent his life to bless their race. 
And yet he sufi'ered deep disgrace. 
When loud they cried. His blood remain 
On all who dwell in Judah's plain ; 



138 

And how a comet threat'ning hung, 

Like flaming sword in heaven swung, 

And soldiers bright, in silver sheen, 

Along the sky at e'en were seen, 

To march amid the dusky clouds, 

Above the city's wond'ring crowds, 

And of that pentecostal night. 

When Luna's lamp was shining bright, 

And quakings shook the solid ground, 

And voices strange were heard around, 

"Let us remove from hence afar;" 

As warning sent of future war. 

And of that cry, so sad and shrill, 

That Jesus made on Zion's hill, 

In temple, court, in spacious street, 

On city wall, at tower's feet. 

"A voice," he cried, "from east and west. 

And from the winds that never rest, 

A voice against this holy fane, 

A voice against the city's name, 

A voice against bridegroom and bride, 

A voice against the people's pride." 

This was his cry, by night and day. 

Till seven years had passed away. 

To those who fed or beat him sore. 

With strength renew'd he cried the more 

His doleful speech, and answered them. 

Woe, woe, to sad Jerusalem. 

But now he sleeps in calm repose, 

Bereft of life by Roman foes. 

Thus sighed the throng with famine pressed. 

Until aroused from troubled rest 



139 

By strife renewed with horrid roar, 
They view the storm of battle pour 
Its fearful wrath in ruin vast. 
Like whirlwind's wild and raging blast 
The Romans drove the Jews along, 
And entered, with the flying throng, 
The temple's court, the sacred dome. 
Where all with gold and silver shone. 
A soldier thrust, with careless hand, 
Through window gilt his burning brand. 
At once burst forth the glaring flame, 
While maddened Jews, like men insane. 
With furious rage and wrathful jeers. 
Rush madly on the Roman spears. 
With eager haste the legions rushed 
O'er groaning heaps of victims crushed, 
Mor heeded they the blinding smoke, 
The dying wail or vengeful stroke. 
In vain did Titus give commands 
To quench the hot and blazing brands. 
The roaring flames high upward rolled. 
With many a red and fiery fold, 
Wide casting 'round a lurid glare. 
Through all the dark, surrounding air. 
While weeping crowds, with doleful cries. 
Beheld it blazing to the skies. 
Unheeding now their wretched state. 
They sadly mourned the temple's fate, 
'Till distant hills gave back the wail. 
Far o'er the dim and dreary vale. 
Now clamor wild, with falling crash, 
With dying shrieks and saber's clash. 



140 

With hissing flame and trumpet's blast, 
Burst wide around with slaughter vast. 
In vain the Jews for mercy call, 
In vain they climb the cloistered wall, 
In vain they hurl the spikes of lead, 
Or struggle o'er the bleeding dead, 
In vain they shun the scorching flame, 
And call on God's all-powerful name. 
Nor man, nor God, was there to save 
From wretched fate and bloody grave. 



WHAT I LOVE. 

I love the flowers, sweet and rare. 
Bright sparkling in the summer air. 
The zephyr's soft and gentle breeze 
That floats amid the waving trees. 



I love sweet music's cheering trill. 
The gushing fount, the dancing rill, 
The cascade's bright and sparkling foam. 
That gleams amid its mountain home. 

I love the lucid stars on high, 
That, glit'ring, deck the vaulted sky. 
The silver moon, with gentle haze, 
The fiery sun's resplendent blaze. 



141 

I love to see the lightnings play, 
When showers cool the summer day, 
Or the bright bow of heaven behold, 
That spans the clouded sky with gold. 

I love to hear the billows roar 
Against the craggy, rock-bound shore, 
And dash its surge against the rock, 
Till shakes the earth beneath the shock. 



DEATH OF DE KALB. 

'Twas midnight dark, o'er land and stream, 
And Luna's torch, with fitful gleam, 
Was struggling through the ragged clouds 
That wrapped the starry hosts in shrouds 
Of somber hue. Deep silence spread 
His pinion o'er each wearied head. 
But hark ! that silence breaks around ; 
With hurried tramp the vales resound. 
By Rugely's mill and winding stream. 
Where bright a hundred watch-fires gleam, 
Battalions form, and squadrons pour 
Like swelling waves with steady roar. 
With heavy roll, the cannon wheels 
Went trundling o'er the tented fields. 
Columbia's sons, by Gates' command. 
Were on the march to save the land 
From Britain's strong and warlike arms. 
And tories' wild and fierce alarms, 



142 

Whose red right hands were ever near 

The midnight flame and ghastly bier. 

The British, too, had marshaled then 

Their num'rous hosts of eager men, 

And now were marching bravely on 

To rouse their foes ere morning's dawn. 

Thus onward moved, through shades of night, 

Each bannered host, and ere the light 

Of sun could sweep the gloom away, 

The vanguards met in fierce array. 

The shock, so unforeseen, astounds 

Both sides, who back, to seek new grounds, 

Becoil, and wait the morning gray, 

Ere closing in the deadly fray. 

Scarce dawned on Camden's fatal field 

The golden sun's refulgent shield, 

Ere far and wide the British spread, 

With dancing plumes and garments red, 

Their glit'ring legions o'er the vale, 

And onward rushed, like sweeping gale. 

The Continentals firmly stand. 

While brave De Kalb leads on the van. 

The raw militia, seized with fright. 

Inglorious fled in shameful flight, 

And left the gallant few to die 

Where bursts along the frightened sky 

The cannon's roar, the saber's ring, 

The battle's clang, with hurried din ; 

Yet brave and firm that gallant band 

Before the charging squadrons stand. 

Fierce rolls the battle's raging storm, 

Where towers high De Kalb's proud form 



148 

Though foes outnumbered two to one, 
Amid the war-clouds' sulphurous din 
He urges on his wasting corps. 
In vain their noble blood they pour — 
The bravest of the brave is down — 
De Kalb lies, pierced, upon the ground. 
In purple streams his gushing blood 
Deep stains the earth with crimson flood, 
While o'er the hero's prostrate head 
The bayonets strew the earth with dead. 
With outstretched arm, De Buyson cries, 
Save ! save ! or quick the Baron dies. 
The baron, marred with many a thrust, 
Is lifted from the blood-stained dust. 
The evening fell, with darksome ray, 
And closed the carnage of the day ; 
Yet while the earth it darkly shades, 
As glim'ring taper calmly fades. 
As sunset dies in distant west. 
The hero slowly sinks to rest. 
Within that consecrated soil. 
Made sacred by his blood and toil. 
Where once loud clashed the battle's blows, 
De Kalb now sleeps in calm repose. 
Tread softly round his lowly tomb ; 
Let flowers spring and gently bloom ; 
Let trees and vines in clusters cling, 
And breathe the fresh'ning air of spring ; 
And dewdrop shed its shining tear 
Above the noble stranger's bier, 
Who left the land that gave him birth, 
His native cot and fireside hearth. 



144 

His titled wealtli and station grand, 
To figlit for freedom's chosen land, 
And water with his blood the^ tree 
That spreads its branches o'er the free. 



ODE TO FREEDOM. 

O, Liberty ! I've heard thy name, 
Thy worthy deeds, thy wond'rous fame, 

Where freedom's fires glow, 
Where^freemen hang their banners high. 
To stream along the azure sky, 

The tyrant's dreaded foe. 

0, Groddess ! friend of Grod and man. 
Arouse thy hosts, lead on the van, 

And free the world from chains. 
Let tyrant thrones in thunder fall ; 
Let cruel lords for mercy call 

Upon a thousand plains. 

Leave not the world to slavery's doom, 
Though tyrants oft haveVorn thy plume, 

And fought for selfish ends. 
And sons have recreant traitors proved. 
Where freedom's hosts victorious moved 

Against oppression's friends. 

Some noble names the world has known. 
Who lived and died for thee alone. 



145 

Nor lived and died in vain ; 
Their names are sculptured on the walls 
That close around thj pillared halls, 

True freedom's sacred fane. 

In olden time, in days of yore, 

When freedom's ranks, all crimsoned o'er, 

In bloody heaps lay strewn, 
Epaminondas wrote his name 
High on the scrolls of freedom's fane. 

And Brutus died for Rome. 

In modern times, the glowing sun 
Hath seen the deeds of Washington, 

Of Kosciusco brave; 
Hath seen the tomb Bozzaris made, 
The spot where Lafayette^^was laid 

In soldier's honored grave. 

A Wilberforce hath roused the world 
His noble banner high unfurled — 

" Let negro slavery die." 
Kossuth hath made the tocsin peal, 
Where Magyar's fought for freedom's weal 

Beneath an Austrian sky. 

Beyond the blue Atlantic's wave, 
Where Tiber's sparkling waters lave 

The fair Italian strand. 
Loud voices Garibaldi cry, 
And trembling princes swiftly fly 

To seek a distant land. 

1 o 
io 



146 

O, Goddess ! speed tliy conqu'ring flight, 
O'erturn at once Oppression's might, 

And burst each galling chain ; 
For why should man his tyrants fear, 
Whom God hath made for higher sphere 

Than live for sordid gain ? 

God speed that bright and glorious day 
When all shall yield to Freedom's sway, 

And true Religion's shrine 
On firm foundations ever stand, 
And flags of peace, in ev'ry land. 

In matchless glory shine ! 



OUR COUNTRY'S FLAG. 

Float on, float on, thou glorious flag. 
O'er land and sea and mountain crag, 
O'er gleaming lake and bastioned tower. 
Where'er the world hath known thy power. 
I love the glowing stars that blaze 
Athwart thy blue, with silver rays, 
Thy gorgeous folds, that waving stream 
And vie with rainbow's sungilt beam. 
0, traitors ! will ye rend its blue. 
Beneath whose folds our freedom grew, 
Or dash its shining stars to earth 
And crush those orbs of heavenly birth? 
Shall sons of those who dared to die 



147 

For Freedom's weal, in days gone by, 
In days that tried our father's souls, 
Desert our noble banner's folds? 
Ah, no ! this banner oft hath waved 
Where wild the fates of battle raved, 
Where cannons burst with awful roar 
And stained the earth with reeking gore ; 
And sabers flashed, with blazing steel. 
Along the smoke-enveloped field. 
Upon its stripes and starry sky 
The dying soldier's fading eye 
Hath^often gazed, and kindled bright, 
Till death's deep darkness quenched its light. 
Beneath this flag our Washington 
Hath many a famous vict'ry won. 
A fearless Wayne, with vengeance dire. 
Hath dared to brave the foeman's ire ; 
A Greene hath swept the battle-plain ; 
A Morgan strewn the earth with slain, 
And Marion's sword with terror gleamed 
While fighting where this banner streamed. 
When sad defeat and gloomy clouds 
Had wrapped our sky in somber shrouds, 
On Trenton's icy plains, flung high. 
It blazed along the wint'ry sky, 
Till darkness broke and rolled away, 
And brought once more the dawning day. 
When Valley Forge's snowy glen 
Received Columbia's dauntless men, 
And howling blast and chilling storm 
Assailed the soldier's haggard form, 
This ensign shone, with radiant light, 



148 

Through all that long despairing night. 

Near Saratoga's bloody field 

It saw a British army yield ; 

At York town heard the joyful cry, 

The battle's won and peace draws nigh. 

Far o'er the dark and stormy main 

The fearless Jones increased its fiime ; 

It faltered not at Lundy's Lane, 

Nor waved at New Orleans in vain. 

It streamed along the ocean tide, 

Our country's hope, our nation's pride. 

From Montezuma's lofty dome 

Its glit'ring stars has proudly shone, 

Far o'er the Aztec's sunny land. 

And 'long Tezencoe's wave-washed strand. 

Arouse ye sons of patriot sires ! 

Rekindling freedom's smold'ring fires, 

And swear by those who fought and bled, 

Where'er this spangled standard led, 

By those who press the soldier's grave. 

Or sleep beneath the tidal wave. 

That it shall ever stream unfurled, 

A flag revered by all the world. 



SIEGEL. 

Beyond the blue Atlantic's brine, 
Where proudly sweeps the silver Bhine, 
By frowning crag or flowery strand, 
Is found the German's father-land. 



149 

It is a land of hill and plain, 
Of verdant meads and waving grain, 
And long renowned for deeds of fame 
That honor still the German name. 

Though lovely is that Grerman home, 
Her sons have crossed the ocean's foam 
And sought the land of freemen's pride, 
And for its weal hath nobly died. 

De Kalb, of glorious mem'ry, fell 
While for our country batt'ling well; 
A brave Steuben with trusty blade 
And helping hand hath lent his aid. 

And now, our country's darkest hour, 
Our foes have felt a Siegel's power, 
Hath fled in haste, his cannon's fire. 
Like leaves before the whirlwind's ire. 

His name is like the clarion blast 
That rouses men to labors vast. 
And fires the heart to deeds sublime 
Where'er his starry banners shine. 

Great God ! may not his sun set red 
On gory fields of mangled de'^.d ; 
Protect him in the deadly strife, 
And bless him with an honored life. 

Preserve the banner he unrolls. 

The host that fights beneath its folds ; 

Give Peace and Union to our land, 

And guard us with thine own right hand. 



150 



THE SOLDIER'S LAST DREAM. 

'Twas night ; deep darkness spread afar 
Around the fearful scenes of war, 
And all was silent, save the tramp 
Of weary guards around their camp. 

Among the gently waving trees 
Went sighing by the rustling breeze. 
And bright on ev'ry grassy spear 
Was found the heaven's dewdrop tear. 

The Tennessee's wide-swelling stream, 
Reflecting far the starlight's gleam, 
With wavelets murm'ring low and sweet, 
But soothed the soldier's drowsy sleep. 

Within his tent a soldier lay, 
Dreaming of loved ones far away, 
The wooded hills and fertile plains 
Around his cot where true love reigns. 

In fancy now he climbs the hight 
That o'erhangs his cottage white. 
Beholds the walk with lilies lined, 
And sees the door with vines entwined. 

The latch is raised, the door swings wide, 
The tender wife, his young heart's pride, 
Embraces now his war-warn form. 
And soothes his brow with kisses warm. 



151 

Climbs on Lis knee the little boy, 
And laughs in glee and childish joy; 
Kind words and loveliest smiles are there 
To cheer the heart and banish care. 

'Tis gone ; the crimson flame leaps bright 
From gleaming steel that bursts in sight, 
And wild the grim old forests rock 
Beneath the battle's direful shock. 



As sleeping steed on pampas' plain, 
When thunders growl at lightning's flame, 
Bounds high in air with glaring eye. 
So sprang the youth to fight and die. 

One pearly tear he dashes down, 
One prayer to those in dreamland found, 
One volley for his country's weal. 
And then his life blood stains the field. 

In vain, alas ! the loving eye 

Turns longing toward the southern sky ; 

It must at last the lesson learn, 

The dear one gone shall ne'er return. 

The gentle winds from sunny skies 
Have kissed the hillside where he lies. 
And on their wings brought sweet perfume 
From flowers blooming o'er his tomb. 

0, God ! how long shall vengeance wait ? 
How long shall hearts with venomed hate 
Heap victims on the wasting fire, 
That smoke around our country's pyre ? 



152 



"I HOPE WE'LL WIN." 

The dying words of young Jackson, who was killed on board 
the Wabash, in the attack on Hilton Head. 

It was a day of battle wild, 
When brave and eager seamen smiled 
To bear the deep-moutlied cannon roar, 
Far booming o'er the hostile shore. 
And sulph'rous clouds, from belching gun, 
Had darkly veiled the morning sun, 
And half concealed each gallant sail 
That dared the storm of iron hail. 

The rage of battle fiercer grew, 
'Till red was all the heavens blue, 
With bombshells blazing curves of fire, 
Till shook the air with hissings dire. 
Till ship and shore were rent and torn 
By bursting fragments onward borne, 
Till stained was all the sandy shore 
With rebels' dark and clotted gore. 

Like hot volcanoes wrapped in flame, 
The battle ships, the fight maintain, 
And move along their fi'ry path. 
Like demons charged with fiendish wrath, 
While, shrouded thick in curling smoke, 
The rebel forts returned the stroke, 
Till shore and sea and solid ground 
He-echoed 'neath the horrid sound. 



153 

Among these seamen brave and true 
That fought beneath our banners blue, 
Was one, a youth of noble form. 
Who wavered not, though dread the storm 
That burst athwart the frigate's way, 
And dashed aloft the beaten spray, 
Till at his post he nobly fell. 
Beside the gun he served so well. 

While comrades slowly bore away 
His bleeding form — his pallid clay — 
From battle's smoke and battle's din. 
His voice was heard, " I hope we'll win ; " 
And ere he closed his eyes in death, 
With parting sigh and latest breath. 
Rejoiced that he had something done 
To guard the flag of Washington. 

The battle 's o'er, the vict'ry won, 
In silence rests each blackened gun; 
The vail of smoke has lifted high. 
And left a bright and brilliant sky ; 
O'er conquered wall and battlement, 
O'er sandy shore and snowy tent, 
Our starlit banner proudly rolls 
Upon the breeze its silken folds. 

Far distant from his native land, 
His tomb is on a distant strand. 
Where sea-born surges leap and swell, 
To chant afar the soldiers knell, 
14 



154 

Where storin-wiuds howl and zephyrs sigh 
Beneath a southern sun -gilt sky ; 
He calmly sleeps on Hilton Head, 
Among the brave and honored dead. 



VALHALLA 



I speak of olden time, of days of yore, 
Of gods and men who trod a distant shore, 
Far off where Normen dwelt in ancient time, 
And wrote their Druid rites in Runic rhyme, 
And formed with tireless limbs and skillful hands, 
Their swift and daring prows and warlike brands ; 
Far off, where raging storm-winds wildly sweep 
Along the Baltic's dark, unfathomed deep. 
Where forests spread their awful shade around, 
And dim-lit hollows roar with cascade's sound. 
Where silver lakes are gleaming in sunshine, 
Beneath the craggy mountain's stern outline, 
With gorgeous dome, with spire and architrave, 
With arches spanning high the blue concave, 
With towers grand, and battlement and wall, 
The warlike Odin reared his palace hall. 
It was a noble palace, and heaven-like, 
Upreared by hands of more than mortal might. 
And richly built from deep foundation-stone. 
To highest roof, that capped each swelling dome 
With sapphire, emerald, and the chrysolite. 
With crystal, amethyst and porphyrite. 
In summer's time, when blushing flowers bloom. 



155 



And breezes on their wings bear sweet perfume, 
And pine trees doff their russet gown and cape 
For garb of deeper green and richer make, 
And fertile fields, in golden harvests wave, 
And eddying streams on blooming margins lave, 
And fish-hawks plunge beneath the swelling tide, 
Where trout and pike in limpid currents glide, 
The slanting sun that lights the northern zone. 
Is then the light of Odin's palace home. 
When from his throne, the dark and icy pole, 
Old Winter comes, and with him onward roll, 
In cloud-wrapped cars, and wildly whirling storms, 
His legion hosts, of stern and dreadful forms, 
To bridge the streams and seal the quiet lakes. 
And dress the frost-bit earth w'ith snowy flakes. 
Then streams afar, from ev'ry turret's hight, 
And upward mounts to greet the stars of night. 
And bless the feasting throngs who there convene. 
With song and dance, the borealis beam. 
Here mighty Odin rules with boundless sway. 
And when the shades of evening blot the day. 
Receives his messengers of raven wing. 
And listens to the world-wide news they bring. 
The fates of Yalkryor he sends afar. 
Where'er are found the bloody scenes of war. 
Resplendent with auroral light they leap 
Adown the sky to skim the foaming deep. 
And range, on tireless wing, the reeking plain. 
Selecting out the brave and noble slain. 
To fill Valhalla's bright and happy courts. 
And share with deathless gods their blessed sports. 
Then back to Odin's gates, like rising day, 



156 



Thej mount the sky and lead the shining way. 

"Within the court-yard, paved with lustrous gold, 

With armor burnished bright and phalanx bold, 

The gods and heroes stand, with ready arms, 

And anxious wait for battle's stirring charms. 

Great Odin speaks, and then their swords are crossed, 

And high in air their blazing shields are tossed, 

And all the heavens rock with bursting storms, 

And all the court is strewn with mangled forms. 

Great Odin's voice, at length, is heard afar ; 

At once is hushed the raging storm of war, 

Each mangled form springs up, restored to life, 

Unmarred by all the wounds of heavenly strife. 

Now happy in their high and glorious fate, 

They throng Valhalla's royal halls of state, 

And spend, in banquet joys, the eventide, 

AVhile heaven's poet, Bragi, sings with pride, 

EaiJh hero's warlike might and deeds of fame, 

And sounds, with tuneful voice, his worthy name. 

Transcendent in his glowing vesture, Frey, 

The god of sunlight and the azure day. 

Amid the hosts that throng Valhalla's aisles, 

Scatters his golden fruits with gracious smiles; 

And Freya, too, fair goddess crowned with flowers, 

With all her gentle train, delights the hours. 

And fills Great Odin's bright and spacious home, 

With music's grandest swell and sweetest tone. 

'Tis gone. Valhalla now no more is seen. 

When lights boreal, wrought in heaven, gleam. 

Sad Niffleheim, so cold and bleak, has fled, 

With all its regions filled with coward dead, 

And Odin's star, high Asgard's glorious throne, 

Has waned within a heaven brighter grown. 



157 

EVENING. 

How I love to see sunset in beauty unfold 

Its bright curtains, all gleaming with crimson and gold, 

Sweetly painting the fairy Hesperian isles, 

Where winter comes never and spring ever smiles. 

In the sunset's fair region, where ocean e'er flows, 
Are the isles of the blessed, where the pious repose, 
Where the temple of Phoebus is decked by the hand 
Of the sun-god, who sleeps in this glorious land. 

From the gray-dappled regions that usher the dawn 
Over mountain and river, green valley and lawn, 
Swift Apollo re-mounts his bright chariot wheels, 
And drives flaming through heaven's high star-spangled 
fields. 

Yet he ever returns to his couch in the west. 
At the close of the day, to his slumbering rest, 
Where the tones of sweet music are swelling in strains, 
And soft breezes are blowing o'er rose-tinted plains. 

Then come sparkling the stars in the heaven's high dome, 
Calmly wondering where sunlight had suddenly flown. 
And the moon, in her majesty, climbs the steep sky, 
Slowly walking 'mid clouds that are floating on high. 

Then the feathery pinions are folded in sleep. 
And the beasts are all resting in silence most deep, 
And the workman is seeking the light of his home. 
While the blessings of slumber by Somnus are strewn. 



158 

CIRCLES. 

We live and move in circles great and small, 
Within a world on circling motions planned. 
The wood-crowned hight and dizzy mountain crest, 
The vale, rose-tinted, and the verdant plain. 
The mirrored lake and ever murmuring stream, 
The ocean's storm-rocked main, the vapory clouds, 
The sun and moon and all the heavenly host. 
In glowing numbers tell that God hath built, 
In circling lines of beauty and of grace. 
The universe, and all harmonious made 
Its motions glide in graceful circles round. 
The blooming Spring, with gentle step, comes on ; 
Her breath is in the fragrant breeze that sighs, 
Within her tracks the primrose glances bright, 
And purple lilacs scent the morning air ; 
The cowslip glows where babbling waters gleam, 
And gray old forests don their brightest green. 
Then Summer, with her golden locks, succeeds 
The passing Spring — along her pathway waves 
The yellow grain. The tasseled corn looks up 
To greet the warm, refreshing shower, and gaze 
Upon the sunlight's gilded bow that spans, 
In circles high, the clouded arch of heaven. 
Next Autumn, laden down with luscious fruits 
On ev'ry leafy bough and emerald spear. 
His bright and many-tinted mantle spreads. 
And scatters blessings on a waiting world. 
Now hoary Winter comes, with blustering step. 
To close the varied year's revolving round ; 



159 

His frosty breath, congealed on land and stream 

And mountain's brow, reflects the slantinir lisirht 

Wide o'er the snowy scene. He fills the air 

With howling storms, and binds the silver lake 

And winding stream with cold and icy chain. 

Against the stern and somber sky the trees 

All leafless stand, while nature rests in sleep. 

In circling rounds the water ever goes ; 

Now rushing on, in sea-born current's might, 

Through caverns deep in earth's foundation rocks ; 

Now sunward rising from old ocean's brine ; 

Now sweeping on, in dark and misty clouds, 

Upon the circuit of the fleeting winds 

Refreshing all the earth, from pole to pole, 

With bounteous draughts ; now plunging, mad and wild 

Adown each mountain crag and snowy hight, 

Outgushing 'neath the overhanging cliff. 

Unwinding through the vale its glit'ring chain, 

And swelling with each glowing rill and fount. 

Until once more, with mighty torrents' flood, 

It greets its ocean home. The tender grass 

That paints the sloping lawn; the flower's bloom 

That tints the plain ; the oak, gigantic formed 

To test the tempest's rage, all pass away ; 

Yet soon they live again in other forms 

As fair as they when in their glory's prime. 

When clouds, rain-burdened, hide the blazing sun, 

And swift the storm -god sweeps on raven wing 

Along the damp and somber brow of heaven — 

The vivid lightning, with its fi'ry bolts. 

Bursting along the darkened sky, is but 

Electric freaks on world-wide circuits played. 



160 

The dusky niglit, on tireless pinion borne 
Before the flaming car of day, flies on 
In circles swift around our spheric gJobe — 
In vast ellipse around our glowing sun 
Revolves its retinue of shining w^orlds ; 
While far away within the deep abyss 
Of space unmeasured, whirl in grand array 
Each twinkling star and comet train. 
Around some vast sun-central orb of li^ht, 
The pivot throne of all the Universe. 
The tiny insect on his glit'ring wing ; 
The heaven-daring eagle, plunging on 
Amid the thunder's dark and misty realms, 
And mounting higher still, as if to pierce 
The azure dome and bathe his earth-born wing^s 
Within the sun's unmellowed blaze of liaht ; 
The beast that roams each flower-painted field, 
Or shivers 'mid the regions bound and choked 
With everlasting snows ; the whale, sea-born, 
That loves the wild and boist'rous main, and leaps 
In playful gambols 'mid the tumbling foam 
And dashing spray of ocean's fearful wrath; 
With ever varying round of pleasure, pain 
And death, pass through th' allotted space of life- 
While others come to trace the beaten track, 
And gain at last the goal their fathers found. 
In circles high or low move all mankind ; 
The dusky Indian in his forest home. 
Contented with the hunter's wildwood chase, 
The warrior's trail and camp-fire's festive dance ; 
The toil-worn peasant in his lowly cot ; 
The sailor tossed upon the darkened deeps ; 



161 

The soldier upon the blackened field of death ; 

The haughty king upon his regal chair, 

Encircled with the splendors of his realm, 

All move along upon the wheel of time 

Until swept off by Death's unsparing hand, 

They fall within the dark and narrow grave, 

And leave their crumbling tombs and tot'ring towers 

To tell, in after days, how weak and vain 

Are all the monuments of human might. 

As now, so in the days of ancient time, 

Within the cycles of the mighty past. 

With all its strange and dim-wrapped mysteries. 

From dismal realms of blank chaotic forms. 

The all-prevailing hand of God flung forth 

This vast spheroid, with misty zone engirt, 

Made gloomy darkness yield to heaven's light, 

And wrote progression on each solid rock 

Encircling all the vasty depths of earth. 

With each untiring round of ages came. 

To clothe the rugged rocks and swampy plains, 

The fern, the moss, the reed, and lofty palm, 

To break the silence of the forest depths, 

The darkly shaded glen, the boggy cave. 

And rivers veiled within the tangled gloom ; 

The fish, the bird, and labyrinthodont. 

The dinotherium, and the zenglodon, 

Until, at last, with bright and gorgeous skies, 

With pure and buoyant air and fertile plains. 

With treasures hoarded deep in rocky safes. 

And onward wheeling, with a nobler curve, 

The earth received her new created lord. 

Thus looms the future on our searchino' gaze. 



1(32 



A vast, unbounded something, opening wide, 

And wider still, with ev'ry glowing beam 

Of added light, until the infinite 

And the eternal roll upon the soul. 

The spirit world is not a quiet sphere, 

Where hapless misery mourns, and joyous bliss 

A changeless song of praise forever sings. 

It is a world where misery deeper sinks, 

And heaven brighter grows as onward roll 

Unnumbered years around Jehovah's throne. 

Then what a glorious thought that we who creep 

With feeble pace around this earthly ball. 

Shall launch away, when back to mother earth 

Crumbles this mortal part, and shoot as swift 

As thought from sphere to sphere, from star to star, 

And read the record of each flying orb. 

And grasp the laws that bind the universe ; 

And in the scale of being circling high. 

And higher still, through time's unending round, 

Witn angel hosts from each created world, 

xVpproach the very throne of God himself. 



CAVERN BY THE SEA. 

Far to the westward, where sunset reposes, 
And the day, sleeping, his palace discloses. 
Scattered like stars in heaven, bright beaming, 
Islands enchanting in beauty are gleaming. 
Curtained with sweet-tinted clouds and blue skylights, 
Gorgeous to gaze on, and charming the eyesight, 



163 



Smiling 'mid white-crested sea-waves, and fading 
In the dim distance, as night flings her shading 
Over a slumbering world, is reclining, 
'Midst the bright waters that ever are shining, 
Fairest of islands, the Tonga, the jewel 
Worn on the bosom of ocean, the cruel. 
Bursting around its stern rocks, with wild clangor. 
Billows for ages have lashed it in anger ; 
Bains from the heaven have flooded its hillsides, 
Swolen its torrents with plunging wild foam-tides. 
Earthquakes have throbbed in its heart deeply hidden, 
Whirlwinds in frenzy have come though unbidden ; 
Still it is standing, encircled with waters, 
Lovely and fair as her gay, laughing daughters. 
Pearly sea-shells, with the tints of the rainbow, 
Gleam on its strands where the waves of the tide flow. 
In the green meadow and moorland the flowers 
Are ever blooming in sunshiny hours, 
Peeping from nooks, all embowered in arbors, 
FloatiDg in ponds, where timid trout harbors. 
Fringing the rocky-mouthed cavern with drapings, 
Hiding the rocks with its verdant re-shapings. 
Whitening the valleys with harvests upspringing, 
And bright unfolding where woodvines are clinging. 
Golden and sweet are the fruits that impending 
Hang where the laden-down branches are bending ; 
Pure the bright waters that rush from its mountains, 
Spring from its hillsides, or gush from its fountains ; 
Gay is the plumage that gleams in its woodlands, 
Sweet are the songs that resound thro' its good lands ; 
Bright are the fish that,are thronging its waters ; 
Brave are its chieftains, and lovely its daughters; 



164 

Pure are its breezes 'mid orange trees sighing; 
Happy the clime where the Tongas are lying. 

Love has her votaries in every nation, 

Monarchs and heroes, and men of low station, 

Queens on rich thrones, with their courtiers surrounding, 

Eustic-clad maidens, 'midst wild scenes abounding. 

So in the Tongas, the ocean's rare treasure. 

Love held her courts and her bowers of pleasure. 

Wawa, the chieftain, was noble and gallant. 

Handsome and brave, and not wanting in talent. 

Swift in the chase, and in battle undaunted, 

E'er to be found where a strong arm was wanted. 

Swan-like and graceful, his bark bounded proudly, 

Mounting the waves where the billows dash loudly. 

Wawa loved deeply and truly a maiden ; 

Long had he loved her, the lovely xilraden, 

While with her heart's pure afi'ection she blessed him, 

And with sweet tenderness ever caressed him. 

Sweet were the hours when the lovers were glancing, 

Each into eyes where the love-light was dancing, 

Plighting their vows, recalling each pleasure 

That sweetest mem'ry had stored in its treasure. 

But their bright sunshine with shadows was darkened ; 

Vaho, Alraden's stern father, had barkened, 

Heeding the promises Oha was making. 

Dreaming but little of hearts he was breaking; 

Vowed that young Wawa away sbould be driven, 

And the fair daughter to Oha be given. 

Sad were the hearts of the lovers when sighing. 

Plighting new faith and ajffection undying, 

Beady to part, but still dreading to sever 

Ev'ry bright hope that had bound them together. 



165 

Bounding o'er waves that were sparkling and flashing, 
In the bright sunlight that silvered their dashing, 
Wawa was steering his bark to a haven, 
Called by the hunters, the Rook of the Raven. 
High were the rocks and the bluffs that surrounded. 
Bright were the corals that in it abounded. 
Sea-turtles sporting, and heedless of danger, 
Saw not the swift-gliding boat of the stranger. 
Wawa's spear flashed in the blue dimpling water, 
Filling the Rook of the Raven with slaughter ; 
Chasing the wounded, he plunged in the fountains, 
Diving deep under the wave-eaten mountains. 
Strange was the sight that astonished his vision, 
When from the waters the youth had arisen. 
Gazing with wonder on scenes so enchanted, 
Out from the waves, on the threshold undaunted. 
Leapt the young chief, and exploring the grottoes, 
Threaded the archways, and glanced at its frescoes. 
Praised the high dome, with its white, snowy ceiling. 
And by its stalagmite altars down kneeling. 
Blessed the kind Grod that had shown him the portals 
Leading to mansions undreamed of by mortals. 

Wawa, returning, was silent and prayerful, 
Watching each movement with caution most careful. 
Changes were passing in Tonga's sweet island ; 
Soldiers were marshaled from valley and highland. 
Causeless rebellion, with scornful derision. 
Broke, in its madness, the glorious vision, 
Peace, with her maidens, had lovingly flaunted 
Over its valleys, all sweet and enchanted. 
Vava, the ruler, triumphant in battle. 



166 



Ordered his foes to be slain like the cattle. 

Fathers and sons, and their wives and their daughters, 

Must with their life-blood bright crimson the waters. 

Vaho and family were marked for the scaffold ; 

But the young Wawa was not to be baffled. 

Life, if Alraden should perish, were sorrow 

Ne'er to be bright with the light of to-morrow. 

Down in the valley and over the mountain, 

Anxious he sought for her, hard by the fountain 

Where, in the days of the past, was their bower, 

Secretly chosen for love's quiet hour. 

Mino-lino; her tears with the waves onward fleeting, 

Wawa discovered the maid he was seeking. 

" Darling Alraden, with joy beyond measure, 

Wawa has come to reclaim his sweet treasure !" 

" Ah, my dear Wawa ! the fates are so cruel ! 

Will not thy coming to torment add fuel ? 

Yava, e'en now, is preparing to slay us. 

Soldiers are watching the paths to waylay us." 

" Fear not," said Wawa, " for fortune has blessed me, 

Shown me a palace, where none can molest thee, 

Fairer than temples of human construction. 

Built, as it were, to preserve from destruction, 

All that I love from the danger impending ; 

Hasten, then, haste ! while the night is descending." 

Cautiously down through the dark gorges flying. 

Fled they where Wawa's light vessel was lying. 

Out on the waters, now fearless of dangers. 

Wawa was seeking the sea-hidden chambers 

Nature had carved in the Rook of the Raven, 

Screening its portals with waves gently laving. 

" Here," said the chieftain, " our chambers are waiting 



167 

Gladly to save us from foes that are hating. 

Follow me ; tho' the blue waters shall cover, 

Trust, ever trust, in your only true lover." 

Downward they plunged, and the waters, re -closing. 

Told not the place of the lovers' reposing. 

In this strange rock-covered mansion, dim-lighted. 

Wooing and winning, ail vows were re-plighted. 

Thus passed the summer, with sunshine and flowers. 

Autumn was tinging the fields and the bowers, 

Staining the lemon and red'ning the myrtle. 

Gilding the hillsides with yellow and purple. 

When the chieftain, his people collecting. 

Sailed from the island, kind heaven protecting. 

Seeking a home, undisturbed by the sorrows 

Springing from war, with his death-dealing arrows. 

" Wawa, our chieftain," his people were speaking. 

While his light barks o'er the billows were leaping, 

"Wilt thou not take from the Tongas, to bless thee, 

Some fa;iry maiden whose hands may caress thee, 

Whose gentle loving may cheer thee and brighten, 

Life's darkest pathway, and each burden lighten." 

" Wawa has chosen the Ocean's fair daughter ; 

Soon shall she leap from the blue, dimpling water, 

Brightest of gems in the sea-hidden chamber ; 

Mine shall she be in the land of the stranger." 

Thus spake the chieftain, and suddenly leaping 

Down 'neath the billows that round them were sweeping. 

Great was the wonder, when Wawa, emerging, 

Held in his arms, 'mid the water's white surging, 

Fair as the palm-tree with leaves all in motion. 

Lovely Alraden, the daughter of Ocean. 



168 



GRIEVING HESPERUS. 

Upon a rugged cliff, high heavenward flung, 

Bold o'er a thousand wide-spread valleys hung, 

I sat and gazed with tearful eyes around. 

Far dashed old Ocean's waves with sullen sound. 

Like silver chains on sleeping Beauty's form, 

Many a streamlet gleamed in calm or storm. 

And hills there were, with verdant summits crowned, 

And fertile plains where limpid lakes abound. 

The sunlight beamed from heaven's azure steep, 
And cast a golden mantle o'er the deep. 
Beyond a distant hill, high tow'ring rolled, 
The storm -king's robe, with many a pitchy fold. 
From 'neatli its darkness leapt the lightning's tongue, 
As if some horrid serpent, hissing, flung 
Defiance toward some strange, mysterious foe, 
Seen 'midst the blackness rolling far below. 

Upon my aching brow sat Grief enthroned, 
And silent, save when sorrow faintly moaned. 
Like lead my heavy heart seemed burdened down, 
While hot and blinding tears my eyelids found. 
A vision passed ; 'twas like the misty cope 
The sunshine lifts from Lookout's rocky slope. 
And from its humid vail a voice came thus : 
" Why art thou sad, 0, son of Hesperus ? 

Then like a torrent fierce, with melting snows. 
My grief found words to plain its burdened woes. 
0, that my eyes were fountains deep of tears, 
That I might weep away my life's long years, 



169 

That grief might be my meat for evermore, 
That life might pass in sighs to heaven's door. 
[ view my people bleed on every strand, 
And see the ruin of my native land. 

"Hope! Hope!" I can not hope ! Look! Look! 
Read all that's painted in that open book ! 
See how yon ship burns wildly on the deep, 
How sulphurous fires from that Armada leap, 
The bleeding victims on that gory plain, 
The widows weeping o'er the trampled slain, 
That blazing city, tot'ring to its fall, 
The silent desert vale, the broken wall ! 

Grim Death and Ruin, hand in hand, go there, 
And rage like tigers froKi their jungle lair. 
The pall of mourning darkens all the sky. 
No zephyr blows but bears the weeper's sigh. 
Within each heart's deep cells some phantom reigns, 
Some specter dim of loved ones Death now claims. 
And all this ruin comes from traitorous hands, 
The children of our own, not foreig-n lands. 



'&• 



" Hope ! Hope !" again the vision said. " 'Tis right !. 

'Twas sin that made these sorrows pall thy light, 

And wrapped thy glorious land in fearful gloom. 

As fabled Phoenix from its deathly tomb 

Arose, so shall thy nation rise again, 

When war shall cease, renewed on every plain^ 

With cities fair, and many a fertile field. 

And slav'ry struck from ofi" thy coTintry's shield. 



ERRATA. 

Tage 13, line 17, a period should be placed after " God." 
Page 15, lins 20, read over, instead of "o'er." 
Page 21, line 9, read armipotent, instead of " omnipotent." 
Page 21, line 13, read thy, instead of " thine." 

Pago 23, lines 23 and 24, read tempest's deep, And, instead of " tempest 
•deep. An." 

Page 23, line 5, read o'er earth, instead of " o'er the earth." 

Page 28, line 6, read secure and save with, instead of " secure and safe with," 

Page 28, line 12, read rural, instead of " usual." 

Page 30, line 13, read _^oods, instead of " flood." 

Page 31, line 11, read sure, instead of " pure." 

Page 52, line 14, read Tenochtitlan, instead of " Lenoehtitlon," 

Page 52, line IG, read Tezcuco's, instead of " Teyencoe's." 

Page 53, line 1, read Caaba's, instead of " Coaba's." 

Page 53, line 2, read Majian's, instead of " mojans." 

Page 77, line 20, read cone-like, instead of " cave-like." 

Page 8(), line 14, read Wagemena's, instead of " Magemenas," 

Page 95, line 9, read had come to, instead of " had to." 

Page 99, line 24, read impelled her, instead of " impelled." 

Page 113, line 15, read the stony, instead of " the strong." 

Page 115, line 29, read a beast, instead of " beast." 

Page 142, line 28, read horrid, instead of '• hurried." 

Page 143, line 2, read dun, instead of "din." 

Page 148, line 15, read Tezenco's, instead of " Teyenco's," 



iiiiiiii 

^ Uio 211 492 A 








